Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE), or spam has reached epidemic proportions, and continues to grow. According to American Online, of the estimated 30 million electronic mail messages each day, about 30% on average was unsolicited commercial electronic mail . As a result of its very low marginal costs, spam has become extremely prolific. Regardless of how many emails are sent out, the spammers costs are low, and constant. With numbers like these, there is a tremendous burden shifted to the Internet Service Provider (ISP) to process and store that amount of data. Huge volumes of this junk can undoubtedly contribute to many of the access, speed, and reliability problems suffered by many ISPs. Further, many large ISPs have experienced major system outages as the result of massive junk e-mail campaigns. Spam is an issue about consent, not content. Regardless of whether the UCE communication is an advertisement, porn, or a winning lottery notice, the content is irrelevant. If the message was sent unsolicited, and in bulk then the message is spam.

This junk e-mail is more than just annoying; it costs Internet users, and Internet-based businesses millions, even billions, per year. When a spammer sends an electronic mail message to a million everybody, it is carried by numerous electronic systems on route to its destination. The systems in between are bearing the burden of carrying advertisements, and other unsolicited junk for the spammer. The number of spams sent out each day is truly overwhelming, and each one must be handled efficiently, and expeditiously by many systems. There is no justification for forcing third parties to bear the load of unsolicited selling . Ultimately, these costs are passed on to YOU, the consumer.

Spam originates in one of two ways, it is sent directly by the spammer from and under their control, or via illegal third party exploitation such as open proxies or open relays. Spammers get your address in a variety of ways. If you sign up for, and provide your email address, these seemingly friendly sites may turn around and sell your e mail to advertisers. Additionally, if you have your e mail address on a Web page, it is effortless for unscrupulous advertisers to "harvest" it, and add you to their lists.

There are ways to reduce the number of spam messages, however it is presently impossible to stop them all. Spam filters, are software applications that redirect emails based on the presence of certain common phrases, or words. These automated measures are prone to being defeated by clever spammers. Additionally, there is a risk of important emails being deleted as spam. In 2003, Congress passed a sweeping law, CAN-SPAM act of 2003, which basically prohibits the make use of of deceptive subject lines and false headers in all emails. Additionally, the FTC is authorized (but not required) to establish a do-not-electronic mail registry. The CAN-SPAM Act took effect on January 1, 2004.

Spam is based on theft of accomadation ; it wastes time, money, and other resources. Spam may and will overwhelm your electronic mail box if it isnt fought. Over time, unless the growth of spam isnt stopped, it will destroy the usefulness and effectiveness of email as a communication tool.