Internet Users and Spam: What the attitudes and behavior of Internet users can tell us about fighting spam

Data from two nationwide surveys suggest that spam is beginning to undermine the integrity of email and even to discourage its use. The vast majority of Internet users are outspoken in their disdain for spam, although enough of them respond to commercial offers that spam remains a viable source of income to spammers. While most users want to do the right thing to avoid and get rid of spam, they need clear and simple guidelines on how to behave. Data presented here offer a profile of Internet users’ behavior and attitudes toward spam. This may be useful for designers and developers of anti-spam solutions, especially where solutions make assumptions about or depend on users’ behavior.