Spam
What is Spam?
Spam is the act of sending unsolicited, bulk electronic messages. These messages can take various forms, including emails, instant messages, forum posts, social media messages, and mobile phone notifications.
Spam is often used for commercial purposes, such as promoting products or services, but it can also be used for non-commercial purposes, such as spreading political messages or malware.
How Spamming Works
Spamming is a practice where spammers take advantage of different platforms, especially email, to send unsolicited messages to a large number of people. These messages usually promote products, services, or scams. Even a low response rate can result in substantial profits for spammers, making it economically viable.
Besides email, spam also impacts instant messaging, forums, and other online communities. Spammers use these platforms to disseminate their messages, often interrupting real conversations. The simple access to these communication channels makes them appealing targets for spammers.
Types of Spam
| Type of Spam | Description | Target Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Email Spam | Unsolicited bulk emails promoting products, services, or scams | Email clients |
| Instant Messaging and Forum Spam | Disruptive messages promoting content or products | Instant messaging apps, online forums |
| Mobile Phone Spam | Unwanted text messages or calls promoting products, services, or scams | Mobile phones |
| Social Networking Spam | Deceptive messages disguised as legitimate posts to spread content or links | Social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) |
| Blog, Wiki, and Guestbook Spam | Irrelevant comments or posts with links to promote websites or products | User-generated content platforms (blogs, wikis, guestbooks) |
| Video Sharing Sites and VoIP Spam | Misleading videos or Voice over IP (VoIP) calls used for promotion similar to telemarketing | Video-sharing platforms (YouTube, etc.), VoIP services |
| Spam in Other Media and Non-Commercial Spam | Spams academic search engines, mobile apps, Bluetooth devices, or used for non-commercial purposes (political messages) | Academic search engines, mobile apps, Bluetooth devices, online platforms |
Societal and Ethical Considerations
Spam not only has economic and technological implications but also broader societal impacts. It disrupts communication channels, compromises user experience, and raises ethical questions regarding the balance between freedom of speech and nuisance.
References
- Spamming – Wikipedia
- What is Spam? | Definition & Types of Spam
- What Is Spam? Meaning of Spam Emails | Proofpoint AU
- What Is Spam: The Essential Guide to Detecting and Preventing Spam
- What is spam? | Kaspersky IT Encyclopedia
- What is spam? | F‑Secure
- What is Spam on the Internet? | ESET