Getting Used to Spam

Recent research by the Pew Internet project suggests that while people are getting more unwanted spam email, they are less annoyed by it.

Since CAN-SPAM was enacted, about 28 out of 100 people say they are getting more spam. 22 out of 100 say they get less. So the consensus is that junk email spam is most likely up, but perhaps not radically so.

About two-thirds of people earlier reported that spam had made them less trustful of email. That number is fallen to about half.

Previously 29% of users said spam made them use email less. That's now down to 22%. Also down is porn spam. Eight percent fewer people reported getting these obscene messages.

While none of this indicates the problem itself is vanishing, it does suggest people are getting used to it and coping. Most likely, individuals have become more adept at recognizing spam and understanding the proper way to deal with it.

It doesn't specifically site the use of filtering technology, but one would presume that it has a role. SpamButcher is an example of a spam filter for Windows users. Many ISPs and end-users have installed applications to help detect and nullify spam. When installed server-side by service providers, users may not even be aware of the junk messages.

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