Spam! What's the Real Problem

 by: Dean Walden

Most people now know the official definition of spam- Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE for short).

That definition does several things we should look at.

1. It categorizes spam as commercial

2. It limits it to email

3. Calling anything unsolicited creates vagueness

Even though all the above things may be true, there are several more things about spam that seem far more annoying.

• First: Spam doesn't have to be commercial to be a nuisance.

• Second: Unsolicited commercialism is so widespread that you can't avoid it by just changing websites.

• Third: A lot of people give out their email address one day and don't understand why they get email the next day from that website.

Also what if Bill Gates decided to give $10,000 to the next 20 people who opened an email from him. That would be unsolicited, but who would care. (what if your spam filter tossed it out).

On the other hand there are people who will claim to be giving away money when they only want your bank account #. Don't give it to them.

Even if all the above were acceptable, what is it about spam that really, really gets your dander up? Isn't it the untruth. Isn't it the out and out deception involved? If all email were limited to truthful advertising and genuine value, wouldn't that be the solution?

Think about it, only offers of genuine value and truthful claims come to your inbox. Then we'd all have to make choices that (whichever choice you made) moved us forward.

Of course, there are a few things we should do to protect ourselves from problems.

1. don't open unexpected attachments

2. don't sign up for every get rich quick scheme you see

3. remember that many, many online entrepreneurs will take your money and run.

4. MLM (Muti-Level Marketing) stands for Millions Lost to Management

There probably isn't an absolute solution to spam. What is spam to one person is a god send to the next. Perhaps a national preference list would be better than a no-send list.

The one thing that will never change is human nature. If there is a real solution to spam it's probably learning to deal with it defensively. It's more than a little bit like driving a car. You can't really control the other drivers you must do what you can and that means operating your vehicle (whether it be a car, website, or business) in a safe, responsible manner.

Copyright 2004 Dean Walden