If you use e-mail, you have no doubt received questionable e-mail from notorious online spammers. And so have your kids. As with any e-mail user, kids are just as susceptible as adults to being bombarded by spam that advertises inappropriate products and services, such as Viagra and pornographic materials. A survey of 1,000 consumers conducted by Symantec revealed that 65 percent spent more than 10 minutes each day dealing with spam, and 24 percent reported dealing with it for more than 20 minutes per day.

Unfortunately, spam e-mails are no longer just an annoyance. They are, in fact, an Internet threat to children. Today¹s spam exposes kids to offensive content and explicit photos, either directly or via embed links to pornographic Web sites. And children may also become innocent victims of online fraud by providing spam-sending e-marketers with personal information in exchange for promises of gifts or free games.

Defining Spam
To start, spam is unsolicited e-mail that is sent to lots of people in bulk. Sales pitches for miracle weight loss products and "too good to be true" discounts on high-end products are just a few examples of spam. Unfortunately, this electronic form of "junk mail" continues to grow. Companies that send spam use software known as Spamware that sends out large amounts of e-mail. Spamware also allows these companies to modify e-mail addresses in order to avoid detection by ISP spam filters.

Spam usually falls into seven different categories:

• E-mail selling consumer products or services
  
• Internet or computer-related e-mails
  
• Pornographic spam
  
• Scams that try to convince people to divulge confidential data, such as their credit card number, or that lure consumers to send money for a "good cause" or an illegitimate money making scheme
  
• Health and medical related e-mail
  
• E-mail with spiritual or religious messages
  
• Entertainment or travel-related e-mail advertising prizes, awards, discounted travel, online games and casinos

Spammers can get your e-mail address through Usenet groups or chat rooms that you might have visited. They can also search through user directories to obtain e-mail addresses. Some Web sites that you visit can also determine your e-mail address without your knowledge through the use of "cookies." Spammers also use "bots," which are automated programs that search the Internet for e-mail addresses.

Spam becomes an Internet security threat when consumers are unable to discern legitimate solicitations from those that are illegitimate. For example, spam that requests people to send in money for a "good cause" or to provide a credit card number to purchase a phony product can result in financial theft. Many spam messages also solicit product promotions that are too good to be true, such as discounts on software. Software sold through this method may be counterfeit, which is not only illegal, but can also cause system problems on a computer once it is installed.

Reducing Spam
How can you lower the amount of spam that you and your children receive? Symantec, makers of the Norton Internet Security software offers the following guidelines:

• Never respond to unsolicited e-mail.
  
• Don't click on the "remove from mailing list" link in a spam e-mail. This is often a trick spammers use to confirm your email address, which results in even more spam in your in-box.
  
• Don't sign up on Web sites that promise to remove you from spam lists. Some of these sites are deceptive, and they might collect your e-mail address to sell to spammers.
  
• Never buy anything from a spammer. This only supports the practice of marketing through spam and it may make your e-mail address a target for more spam.
  
• Try to avoid any public display of your e-mail address.
  
• Create an e-mail address that you use only for registering onto Web sites. That way, your personal or work e-mail address is less likely to be bombarded by spam.
  
• If you are a member of a group or service that maintains a user directory, find out if you can opt out of registering your name and e-mail address. Spammers often obtain member information from user directories to develop their mailing list.

Finally, you may consider using spam filtering software such as that included with Symantec's Norton Internet Security 2003. The software includes a new feature called Norton Spam Alert, which is designed to detect and flag spam email.

For additional guidelines on protecting your children while online, please read our related story.

4/8/03 www.daytrum.com Editorial Staff

internet - Protecting Against Spam