Study Says Spam Up, Porn Down

LEXINGTON, Mass. — While spam and malicious phishing emails continue flooding user inboxes, fewer adult companies are sending spam to promote their products — and fewer hackers are using porn as bait — according to a study from security software maker Ipswitch.

The study said spam accounts for 70 percent of all email, representing a sizable spike compared to 57 percent in December.

Of those spam, slightly more than a third focused on offers for prescription drugs and about one-fifth were related to supposed financial products. Most of those, the company found, were actually phishing scams.

One area that has decreased, thanks primarily to filtering technology, is porn spam or, more likely, fake porn spam. Once the No. 1 form of spam, it now accounts for only 14 percent.

“Conventional spam, by which I mean non-phishing, is less effective than it used to be,” Ipswitch director of product marketing David Karp said. “People are getting wise, and filters are getting better. And I think that is why phishing is on the rise, because a spammer can no longer sell fake watches or fake pornography.”

However, other tech industry analysts point out that while everyone complains about spam, it remains a viable option for marketers simply because a large enough number of users continue to respond to it. A survey from Reflexion Network Solutions in June showed that 22 percent of those surveyed had visited a website from a spam email.

Also in general, spammers continue to outsmart filtering software by using creative spellings for key words and branching out into new technologies.

“The next generation may have new forms of communication, but I would suspect that they'll get a new form of spam,” Karp said. “Spam is appearing in instant messaging, either computer or phone based.”

Karp said most spam, no matter the product category, is a ruse for something other than the product supposedly being sold.

“It's not that legitimate businesses have bad email practices,” Karp said. “These are typically illegitimate business from the get-go. Most companies know how to send emails that are valuable to their customers and take people off lists when they don't want to be on them.”

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

25,000 Sign Petition to Legalize Pornography in Ukraine

An OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine has amassed the 25,000 signatures required for official consideration by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

WannaCollab Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

WannaCollab has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

FSC Unpacks SCOTUS Age Verification Ruling in Webinar

The Free Speech Coalition conducted a public webinar Tuesday to help adult industry stakeholders understand the Supreme Court’s recent decision in FSC v. Paxton, and its potential implications.

UK Lawmaker Calls for Appointment of 'Porn Minister'

Baroness Gabrielle Bertin, the Conservative member of Parliament who recently convened a new anti-pornography task force, is calling for the appointment of a “minister for porn,” according to British news outlet The Guardian.

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

TTS Opens UK Testing Location

Talent Testing Service (TTS) has opened a new U.K. location in Ware, Hertfordshire.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect in South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

FSC Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Texas AV Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released a statement responding to last week's Supreme Court decision on FSC v. Paxton, the Texas age verification law.

Sex Work CEO Debuts Upgraded 'GPTease' AI Assistant

Sex Work CEO has introduced the new Canvas in-chat editing feature to its AI-powered, NSFW text generator, GPTease.

UPDATED: Supreme Court Rules Against Adult Industry in Pivotal Texas AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday issued its decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, striking a blow against the online adult industry by ruling in support of Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

Show More