Spam reduces faith in email

The growing problem of spam is taking a heavy toll on US internet users' perception of the safety of email.

According to a survey by cyber-monitoring group Pew Internet and American Life Project, 63 per cent of users are becoming less trusting of emails, while over a third claim to have cut back their use of email as a communication tool.

The majority of those surveyed indicated that the volume of junk mail has increased this year. This is despite the ratification of recent US Can Spam legislation, which became law on 1 January.

The findings appear to be backed up by a recent review from anti-spam and security company Brightmail, which found that spam accounted for 62 per cent of all email sent last month.

According to Pew Internet, the apparent failure of the US legislation and the rise in spam is causing increasing discomfort to internet users.

Three-quarters found spam unpleasant and annoying, while 86 per cent said that unsolicited email caused them distress.

The survey gives credence to concerns voiced by critics of the Can Spam Act who have suggested that, while the penalties are strong, the law's weakness is that it attempts to regulate rather than ban the practice of spamming.

It does this by requiring email marketers to include legitimate return addresses and opt-out information in all the unsolicited messages they send.

See also:

Microsoft and Amazon join forces against scammers

Firms charge alleged phishers and spammers  29 Sep 2004

Spim is the new spam

Spammers turn to instant messaging to peddle porn and get-rich-quick scams  31 Mar 2004

Blockage for spam filtering vendors

Predicted shake-out in sector to leave fewer than 10 firms in business  29 Mar 2004

Firms urged to rethink spam strategy

Enterprises must protect themselves from likely shake-up in vendor market  22 Mar 2004

Junk mail

The term 'spam' may have been popularised by a Monty Python sketch but, in the electronic world, junk mail is far from a laughing matter.  06 Jun 2003

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