2007-05-22-皮尤-Spam_2007_12页_73kb

Spam Analysis Summary

Overview

Despite an increasing volume of spam in personal and work email accounts, American internet users report being less bothered by it compared to several years ago. This decrease in bother stems from improved user sophistication and reduced exposure to offensive spam types like pornography.

Spam Volume Changes

• 71% of email users (N=1,405) reported getting more spam in their personal email accounts, up from 65% who responded two years prior.
• A similar increase was noted in work email accounts, with 65% stating more spam.
• Fewer users (10%) report getting less spam, and about half (51%) have not noticed a change.

User Attitudes and Reasons

• User concern about spam decreased from a peak of 25% in 2003 to 18% in 2023.
• Key reasons include:
  • Widespread use of email filters (71% of users employ filters from providers or employers).
  • Reduction in pornographic spam, which once dominated offensive complaints.
  • Less exposure to the most objectionable spam, and users are more adept at handling unsolicited emails.

Demographic Nuances

• Age: Younger users (18-49) are more likely to find spam annoying (e.g., 54% vs. 44% for age 50+).
• Education: College graduates (62%) report greater annoyance compared to those with less education (45%).
• Account Type: Users with both personal and work accounts (60%) are more affected, while those with only one type are less bothered.

User Actions

• Improved awareness: 68% of users rarely accidentally open spam emails.
• Filter usage: 71% use filters (up from 65% two years ago).
• Smart behaviors: Fewer users (23%) click links in spam, and only 4% purchase products from unsolicited emails, showing reduced support for the spam industry.

Long-Term Impact

• Most users (91%) continue to rely on email, despite spam concerns.
• Trust in email: 55% say spam has made them less trusting of the medium, particularly among the 18% who view spam as a big problem.
• Phishing threats persist, with 36% of users still receiving such emails, unchanged from previous surveys.

Spam remains a concern for email integrity, but user adaptation and industry changes have mitigated its impact on daily usage.