What is Spam

 

What is spamming?

Anyone who’s spent more than a handful of seconds on the internet has encountered spam. It’s seemingly an inseparable part of the internet experience, something we accept as normal. But how can we define spam? What makes spam emails different from others? In terms of the internet, what does spam mean?

This article contains:

This article contains:

• What is spamming?
• Why is it called spam?
• What kinds of spam are there?
• How to recognize spam
• Spamming vs phishing
• Why am I getting spammed?
• How to prevent spam
• Stay protected with the world’s most trusted antivirus

The answer is that spam is always unrequested. It’s annoying, it’s usually promotional, it’s sent to loads of people, and it’s coming whether you asked for it or not. If you’ve signed up for a marketing newsletter and later gotten sick of it, that’s unfortunate, but it isn’t spamming.

If the definition of spam is unsolicited bulk messages, spamming is the act of sending these messages, and a person who engages in the practice is a spammer. Most of the time, spamming is commercial in nature, and though the spam is bothersome, it isn’t necessarily malicious or fraudulent (though it can be).

Why is it called spam?

The use of the term “spam” to describe this type of invasive blanket-messaging is a reference to a Monty Python skit. In it, a group of diners (clad in Viking costumes, no less) loudly and repeatedly proclaim that everyone must eat Spam, regardless of whether they want it or not. It’s similar to how an email spammer will flood your inbox with unwanted messages.

When spelled with a capital S, “Spam” refers to the canned pork product that the above-mentioned Vikings love. Use a lowercase S to discuss the endless flood of emails and other messages that you never asked for.

What kinds of spam are there?

You can fry it, bake it, scramble it with eggs, eat it on a sandwich, or even serve it with rice and seaweed. But when it comes to the electronic variety, there’s an equally diverse menu available. Here’s a shortlist of what you might expect in the wide world of spam:

Email spam: Your garden-variety spam. It clogs up your inbox and distracts you from the emails you actually want to read. Rest assured, it’s all extremely ignorable.

SEO spam: Also known as spamdexing, this is the abuse of search engine optimization (SEO) methods to improve search rankings for the spammer’s website. We can divide SEO spam into two broad categories:

• • Content spam: Spammers cram their pages full of popular keywords, usually unrelated to their website, to try and rank their site higher in searches for those keywords. Others will rewrite existing content to make their own pages seem more substantial and unique.

  • Link spam: If you’ve come across a blog comment or forum post that’s filled with irrelevant links, you’ve encountered link spam. The spammer is trying to exploit an SEO mechanic known as “backlinking” to drive traffic to their page.

Social networking spam: As the internet grows ever more social, spammers are quick to take advantage, spreading their spam via fake “throwaway” accounts on popular social networking platforms.

Mobile spam: It’s spam in SMS form. In addition to spammy text messages, some spammers also utilize push notifications to draw your attention to their offers.

Messaging spam: Like email spam, but quicker. Spammers blast their messages out on instant messaging platforms including WhatsApp, Skype, and Snapchat.