Spam: origin and definition of an acronym

Spam, also known as spamming, pourriel (contraction of “trash” and “e-mail”), or polluriel (contraction of “pollution” and “e-mail”), is a word borrowed from the English language to designate the automated mass sending of unwanted e-mails. This word, originally an acronym for : SPiced hAM, spicy canned ham sold by an American company and used en masse, to muddy the conversation, in a Monthys Pitons sketch.

For ease of use, a spammer refers to someone who sends spam, and the verb spammer colloquially defines the act of sending spam.

As a rule, spammers obtain their victims’ e-mail addresses illegally, via viruses, by harvesting addresses from web pages or Internet forums, or via insecure databases. The spammer sends this spam to a very large number of people with whom he has never had any contact, hoping that a few will succumb to the temptation.

Under article 22 of the French law of June 21, 2004 on confidence in the digital economy (LEN), the use of e-mail for commercial purposes is subject to the prior consent of the persons concerned in the case of private individuals. The main aim of this reform, which originated in a 2002 European directive, is to combat spam by making mailbox users more secure. For example, when sending commercial e-mails to individuals, senders must ensure that :

– to have obtained the consent of the people who will receive the e-mail,

– allow the customer to unsubscribe,

– inform it of the identity of the organization on whose behalf the message was sent.

This notion is referred to asOPT-IN, as opposed toOPT-OUT, which is accepted in the context of professional addressees. In this specific case, prior consent is not required, but the other rules are retained: allowing unsubscribing and clearly displaying one’s identity, or at least not hiding it.

In the workplace, it’s perfectly legitimate to receive unwanted advertising emails, but they don’t have to be considered spam. Differentiation will be based on volume and, above all, on the anonymity of the sender and the repetition of mailings.

The recipient can use specialized software to limit or even prevent the receipt of spam. These are known as spam filters. In an article to follow, we’ll look at the different forms of anti-spam available.