Spam: history, perceptions, solutions

Author

Geneviève Reed

Organization

Option consommateurs

Published

2004

Summary

Now that the majority of Canadian consumers have adopted electronic mail, or e-mail, as a medium of communication, a new and recurrent malady of the information age has arisen, putting consumer confidence in this medium in jeopardy. The malady in question is “spam,” or unsolicited commercial e-mail. This research report describes and analyzes the issues raised by spam and the outlook of consumers on these issues. Option consommateurs defined its task as that of characterizing the problem of spam, tracing its history, and identifying the consequences of its proliferation. First, although there is no single authoritative definition of spam, the sources Option consulted led us to define it as an unsolicited bulk electronic mailing for commercial purposes. Second, Option investigated consumers’ perceptions of spam, their experiences with it, and their opinions on the best ways to control it. Third, Option conducted a comparative study of relevant legislation in Europe, France, the United States, and Canada. Finally, Option puts forward some recommendations.

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OCA Funded Research
This research received funding support through the Office of Consumer Affairs' Contributions Program.

Contact information

Source: Consumer Policy Research Database