I just opened Gmail to look at the options for dealing with unwanted email:
It requires 2 clicks to report something as spam and 4 clicks to create a filter which automatically deletes messages from a particular sender (or routes them in a way of your choosing; can also be used to selectively stop messages, eg, receiving bills without receiving ads; option is in the drop down menu).
I can't help but feel like you're saying you should be allowed to file harassment reports against the people standing behind sample booths, since you didn't explicitly ask them to talk to you when you grabbed a sample from the table, and well, harassment reports are just so much easier to file than asking them not to talk to you! (Okay, not actually true, but would be the analogous thing.)
I suppose there isn't a lot more to say, but I just want to ask this point blank one time to be sure I really understand what you're trying to say (even if I don't agree): are you really saying that it's entirely unexpected that a company which you're getting a sample or service from sends you a sales message and that you think the best response is to report them for harassment (in the process, attacking the reputation of the middle man in the communication for enabling harassment) rather than just informing them directly that you don't want further messages?
Edit: Corrected click count to account for menu hiding; tidied up comment a bit.
To answer your question, it depends entirely on how that company presents the opt-in, or rather, does not present the opt-in.
If there is a check-box that's pre-checked and all I have to do is un-check that box as I'm signing up to opt-out, I respect the company for being up-front about the choice and will un-check the box. On the other hand, if they do anything I consider "shifty" like trying to hide the opt-in anywhere (eg in ToS), then the answer to your question is yes. I would not expect those emails so in my opinion they are unsolicited, at best.
It requires 2 clicks to report something as spam and 4 clicks to create a filter which automatically deletes messages from a particular sender (or routes them in a way of your choosing; can also be used to selectively stop messages, eg, receiving bills without receiving ads; option is in the drop down menu).
I can't help but feel like you're saying you should be allowed to file harassment reports against the people standing behind sample booths, since you didn't explicitly ask them to talk to you when you grabbed a sample from the table, and well, harassment reports are just so much easier to file than asking them not to talk to you! (Okay, not actually true, but would be the analogous thing.)
I suppose there isn't a lot more to say, but I just want to ask this point blank one time to be sure I really understand what you're trying to say (even if I don't agree): are you really saying that it's entirely unexpected that a company which you're getting a sample or service from sends you a sales message and that you think the best response is to report them for harassment (in the process, attacking the reputation of the middle man in the communication for enabling harassment) rather than just informing them directly that you don't want further messages?
Edit: Corrected click count to account for menu hiding; tidied up comment a bit.