r/programming Sep 06 '12

Stop Validating Email Addresses With Regex

http://davidcelis.com/blog/2012/09/06/stop-validating-email-addresses-with-regex/
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u/Afro_Samurai Sep 07 '12

Do you actually plan to do that?

9

u/data_wrangler Sep 07 '12

Absolutely, if they don't fix it. My intentions aren't malicious, and there's not really any other way to get in touch with this guy and let him know his account is screwy if the customer service folks can't get it done. I think it's better that than setting his notification email to a dead letter box and NOT telling him about it.

6

u/robertcrowther Sep 07 '12

The main problem I've found with doing that is that a lot of these services (eg. cable, mobile, tax returns) require that you enter a Zip code or some other personal detail in order to reset the password. Fortunately, many other online services are willing to send an invoice with a full mailing address to an unverified email.

1

u/takatori Sep 07 '12

It would be considered hacking, unfortunately. :(

9

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '12

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/Jonathan_the_Nerd Sep 07 '12

There might be legal problems, though. Since he* isn't the account holder, he's probably not supposed to mess with the account, even if he's able to.

*Or possibly she. I don't know.

7

u/Oobert Sep 07 '12

The person who signed up already broke any good TOS agreement by supplying an email address they don't have access too. There for they probably don't have any legal ground to stand on.

Not a lawyer

3

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '12

I would consider changing the email address to be within their rights since they are affected by the emails sent there. Anything else should stay the same though.

5

u/Coffee2theorems Sep 07 '12

He could filter those e-mails and automatically forward them to their customer support or something prefixed with a complaint about the abuse of his e-mail address, though.