| The term Spam is thought to be derived from a Monte | | | | companies set up to send "bulk e-mail". They are able |
| Python skit. But the fact that Spam makes up over 80 | | | | to send billions of messages a day. In the US there |
| percent of emails sent isn't that funny! | | | | have been a number of lawsuits concerning Spam and |
| A Monte Python sketch performed in 1970 references | | | | laws created trying to reduce the production. |
| the British rationing during World War II. SPAM was | | | | Therefore, it is becoming more prevalent that these |
| one of the only meat products that was readily | | | | companies operate out of foreign countries. They |
| available and not being rationed. Python's sketch is set | | | | have also changed their soliciting methods to read |
| in a café and every item on the menu contains | | | | "spam-free" which refers to a person who has chosen |
| Spam lunch meat. A song repeating the word SPAM | | | | to "opt-in" by clicking a box near the end of some |
| is being sung and is drowning out the waiter who is | | | | enrollment form thereby agreeing to have updates or |
| dictating the SPAM filled menu in detail. | | | | newsletters sent. Sometimes this box is pre checked |
| An instance of unsolicited commercial email was | | | | and you must unclick in order to "opt-out". These |
| originally noted in 1978. Although it seems that the idea | | | | names are then sold to the bulk e-mailing companies. |
| was born years earlier when an unsolicited electronic | | | | Spam filtering software is the best technology |
| messaging using the media occurred by telegram in | | | | available at the present time to reduce Spam. Spam |
| 1864! In the 1980's the term Spam started to be used | | | | filtering is included in most versions of anti virus |
| to describe annoying users of early chat rooms who | | | | software. It is pretty simple for spammers to sidestep |
| would repeatedly type the word Spam in an abusive | | | | these filters simply by misspelling keywords. Also, |
| manner to drive others out of the room. Especially | | | | these filters often block e-mail that you do want to |
| others from rival groups surrounding said topic. They | | | | receive because of key words being misinterpreted. |
| would also flood the screen with quotes from the | | | | SPAM hits other venues besides email such as instant |
| Monte Python sketch in the same manner. Soon rather | | | | messaging, chat rooms, newsgroups, forums, mobile |
| than being called flooding or trashing it became | | | | phones, online games, search engines, and blogs. For |
| common place to refer to these methods as | | | | the time being it looks like the only way to avoid a |
| spamming. Later it evolved to mean excessive multiple | | | | majority of Spam is to avoid traditional email all |
| posting of the same message. In the 1990's we began | | | | together. Requiring a person to fill out a form that is in |
| to see the excessive amount of "get rich quick" | | | | turn sent to the recipient successfully blocks |
| schemes being advertised in this manner. Commercial | | | | spammers. This is currently how many business and |
| spamming began in 1994 courtesy of two lawyers | | | | organizations including the White House are handling |
| advertising their immigration law services. Shortly there | | | | their e-mail. |
| after the focus of spamming and anti spam efforts | | | | The term Spam is thought to be derived from a Monte |
| moved to email and that is where the focus of this | | | | Python skit but is not received by many as being |
| phenomenon remains today. | | | | humorous. Spamming is a phenomenon that has been |
| Most of us receive some type of Spam everyday. | | | | beneficial for some and a nuisance to the masses |
| Spam is incredibly easy and inexpensive to create and | | | | who make up the recipients of the billions of |
| can be very profitable. There are a number of | | | | messages sent per day. |