How to Trim the "Spam" from Your E-Mail
Diet
Tips for Reducing and Managing Junk
E-Mail
Unsolicited commercial e-mail, commonly called
"spam" or junk e-mail, not only clutters our inboxes, but can also invade our
lives with unwanted messages that may even deceive or disgust us. It's bad
enough that spam wastes our bandwidth at the office. Even worse is knowing that
junk e-mail may target our kids, grandchildren, and elderly relatives in their
homes. The flow of unsolicited commercial e-mail can be slowed with advanced
filtering and other new technology, but curbing spam also requires the combined
action of computer users, industries, and government. You can take these steps
to help decrease your exposure to unwelcome messages:
- Create an alternate e-mail address for public
interactions. Your participation in Internet newsgroups or chat rooms
makes it easy for list compilers who use automated bots (computer programs) to
harvest e-mail addresses to sell to junk e-mail senders. To reduce your
exposure, set up a second e-mail address to use when participating in online
forums, registering with Web sites, entering contests, or filling out forms on
the Internet. Share your primary e-mail address only with people you know.
- Keep your primary e-mail address private. Option
(opt) out of being listed in online member directories.
- Review a Web site's privacy policy before doing
business online. When you sign up for Web-based services such as online
banking, shopping, or newsletters, review the privacy policy closely. Some
sites will automatically assume the right to share your e-mail address with
other organizations. Responsible sites will offer you a way to opt out.
- Ignore spam. Spammers often combine names
randomly with popular e-mail services (for example, MSN® Hotmail®, AOL, and
Yahoo!) in hopes of finding valid e-mail addresses. By responding to the junk
e-mail, even to unsubscribe, you may be inadvertently verifying that the
message has reached a working e-mail address. Unless you are unsubscribing
from a distribution list that you signed up for or you know the sender of the
message, discard it without responding.
Use Technology to Help Block Junk E-Mail
In addition to changing how you manage your e-mail and Web
activities to help avoid junk e-mail, you can help block it by using technology
from Microsoft and other companies. Here's how:
- Set up filters that assist in blocking junk
e-mail. You can set up many e-mail programs to scan incoming mail for
certain addresses or for phrases that are commonly used in junk and
adult-content messages. You can have such messages automatically sent to the
trash or to a specified folder.
- Use an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that uses
technology to help filters junk e-mail. Some ISPs use technology to help
filter junk e-mail before it reaches your inbox. MSN 8, Microsoft's
subscription Internet access and content service, uses tools from Brightmail
and Microsoft-developed filters that assist in blocking spam at the mail
server.
Help Stop Junk E-Mail at the Source
Unwanted commercial e-mail isn't just a private concern. In
addition to technological innovations, Microsoft is intensifying its efforts to
cooperate with other ISPs in fighting spam, and working with government to
enforce and strengthen anti-spam laws. You can take these steps to
help:
- Report junk e-mail senders. Most ISPs and e-mail
services have a complaint address to help eliminate junk e-mail from their
systems. If you get unwanted mail, the sender's address will show the ISP name
after the at sign (@). Forward the junk e-mail to the ISP's complaint address.
Although many senders are outside the jurisdiction of the United States, the
United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) can take action against United
States-based spammers and scammers.
- Stay informed. Groups fighting unsolicited
commercial e-mail operate Web sites to share information about their efforts
to reduce the clutter in everyone's inbox. These groups include:
Next Steps
Here are some online resources you can use to help reduce
spam while continuing to enjoy all that the Web has to offer.