April: The Cruelest Month For Spam

UNITED KINGDOM -- The United States continues to lead the world as the most prolific sender and receiver of unsolicited email, commonly known as spam, said email security firm MessageLabs on Monday.

In the month of April alone, spam statistics indicate that 840 million spam emails were received by users and that among those millions, 97 percent were spam. The biggest target of unsolicited email is the U.S., says MessageLabs, with the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia and Hong Kong following closely.

Pushing the statistical envelope even further, MessageLabs has determined through its research that 83 percent of all email received in the U.S. is spam, which accounts for four in five emails. Whereas in the UK, only 53 percent of email is considered spam.

MessageLabs attributes this lead to a higher concentration of broadband users in the U.S., compared to other countries. But that as high-speed usage becomes increasingly popular throughout the world, the problem with spam will only escalate.

Brian Czarny, vice president of marketing at Message Labs, says that a year ago, that number in the U.S. was barely at 50 percent, and has shown signs of surprising growth over the past six months despite the Can-Spam Act of 2004, which put the task of shutting down spammers in the hands of the federal government.

But so far, the feds have only managed to make a limited number of arrests based on the terms of the new law, and many critics say that the U.S. government severly overestimated how easy it would be to win the spam war and to pursue the naturally elusive spamming community.

According to MessageLabs, the UK will soon be a close second to the U.S. in terms of its email glut.

In one case, a small UK-based company claims to have received 720,000 emails in the month of April alone, and of that number, 99.84 were spam, the company claims.

"We expected the battle to be over very quickly," said Dave Rand, co-founder of San Jose, Calif.-based Mail Abuse Prevention System. "We were just wrong in so many different ways. The reality is it has been a continual escalation."

However, despite the general public's complaints over spam cluttering their email browsers, the Pew Internet & American Life Project, a research firm based in Washington, D.C., has determined that more than 6 million people, or 5 percent of email users, followed through on spam marketing and purchased products or services.

According to Pew's recent survey, though, 77 percent of respondents still felt that spam was an intrusion, and 29 percent said it had profoundly affected the way they perceive the Internet.

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

Sex Work CEO Launches 'Teams Plan' for AI Assistant

Sex Work CEO has introduced the new Teams Plan for its AI-powered, NSFW text generator, GPTease.

2025 XBIZ Amsterdam Website Launches With Call for Speakers

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the website for its annual European conference, XBIZ Amsterdam, is now live.

NC Governor Vetoes Bill Targeting Adult Industry, Override Possible

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein today vetoed a bill imposing new regulations that adult industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

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.

Show More