SPAM

It seems as if everyone on the net (as well as some who are not internet users) knows the word SPAM as it applies to the internet., but not everyone knows (or agrees upon) the definition of the word itself.

According to Net Abuse, SPAM is the “…flooding the Internet with many copies of the same message, in an attempt to force the message on people who would not otherwise choose to receive it.” Other definitions which apply to SPAM, as used on the internet includes:

Sending multiple, sometimes thousands, of unwelcome messages to a newsgroup or mailing list to promote a commercial product or Web site.

Any activity designed to trick the search engines into giving a site a higher ranking. Common tactics include hiding keywords as white text on a white page background, submitting a web page to a search engine daily, and building doorway pages.

The act of posting inappropriate and unsolicited messages to large numbers of e-mail recipients and Usenet news groups. Also refers to the message itself. top of page

(RFC 2635). The term “spam” as it is used to denote mass unsolicited mailings or netnews postings is derived from a Monty Python sketch set in a movie/tv studio cafeteria. …

Generally refers to repeated and irrelevant content. As an optimization term, spam refers to loading a page with keywords or loading a search engine’s index with mirror sites. …

Spamming is the abuse of electronic messaging systems to send unsolicited bulk messages, which are generally undesired. …

The Mentality on SPAM

In general, the term SPAM has come to mean whatever a person thinks SPAM means. Some think that if you post one message, which is off-topic or irrelevant, then it is SPAM. Others think any multiple postings of a similar view, in one or more message threads, is SPAM. Still there others think that SPAM is only something which is applicable to E-Mail. The definition of the word “SPAM” is definitely subjective, however the idea it as being a subjective thing, which is something solely up to the Individual to decide, is a wrong assumption to promote in the various forums around the net. It is wrong due to the fact that it sets the site up for future, potential problems.

One example of a potential problem, which also is one that has happened time and again on the net, is because it can be a tool used to start, or further, a thing called “Board Wars”. There have been people out there on the net who had taken exception to a particular user, or a particular opinion, and they have used the ideas of SPAM , inaccurate postings and post ratings to get the posts made by their opponents in the discussion and debate going on wiped off the board. This practice included sending multiple complaints to the staff and management of the forum under one or more names and email addresses. One reason these complaints caused this problem was because the person complaining knew that the policy of the forum was to simply eliminate such posts with-out much in the way of checking it out to judge whether the item was what it was claimed to be. When there are no checks and balances in place, which are used by the management, some people happily abuse the system in order to make their points look more valid.

The Basic Definition of SPAM

There is a basic definition for SPAM upon which everyone should be able to agree. That definition is similar to “SPAM consisting of the messages sent by way of mass, unsolicited e-mail.”. Whatever else SPAM is defined is another topic. Forums and sites do hav particular needs which might alter the definition of SPAM on their sites. For example, if a site is set up for the posting and mass emailing of articles and information by all of it’s members… then obviously the mass e-mail definition of SPAM needs adjusted or doesn’t apply.

Conclusion:

I reviewed many different definitions of SPAM and found that many agree, in whole or in part, with other definitions. I’ve taken the liberty of writing my own definition, which basically covers all of the definitions I’ve found.

SPAM:

1. Multiple messages sent e-mail for the purpose of promoting a commercial product or web site which are not welcome or requested. Unsolicited mass email. Junk Mail.
2. More than one post to a forum or thread on a Message Board, Chat Room, Usenet News Group, Mail List, et al which contains the same, or a similar, message, inappropriate or the willful forwarding of inaccurate content or off-topic posts
3. The posting of the same, or similar, message to more than one thread or forum on the same site. Cross posting.
4. Any activity designed to trick the search engines into giving a site a higher ranking. Common tactics include hiding keywords as white text on a white page background, submitting a web page to a search engine daily, and building doorway pages.
5. Generally, a message, or messages, which contain repeated and irrelevant content.

It is time for the internet world to reach a conclusion on the accepted definition of SPAM and enforce it. Perhaps that definition would be different than the one I go by, however it should incorporate much of what I use due to the fact that I am mostly combining the definitions which others gave for the term.