Where's all the spam gone?

[Patroklos]

Thanks Q, you are a true humanitarian (they taste good don't they)

-Pat

[Mercator]

Now you mentioned it... I've only had a handful of spam the last few days myself.

The answer seems abvious to me...

Spoiler:

It was Saddam who sent all the spam!

[mrmitchell]

That's illegal

(Patrokolis)

No, it's not. You can get this kind of spyware from two major sources:

(1) Bundled downloads
Adware/spyware included in a popular freeware client such as KaZaA.
-It's completely legal, especially if it's listed as being included in any of the documentation that comes with the application.
-It's a "gray area" if it's not listed in the documentation...perhaps a more intelligent legal expert could show us the light?
(2) Driveby downloads
Adware/spyware in an ActiveX download in a pop-up advertisement in Internet Explorer.
-It's completely legal either way, it prompts you to download something and you accept or decline. It isn't their fault if you don't read disclaimers, privacy statements, etc., and still click "Yes".
-It's also completely legal if you have IE fixed to allow all ActiveX downloads. This amounts to (duh) allowing ALL downloads, no matter what their content.

Companies that make adware and spyware are awful scumbags, but you can't blame them for negligence on the part of the end-user.

[Ecthy]

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[Wernazuma III]

I've noticed the same thing! I was almost disappointed to get so little mail in the past days. Made me feel so unimportant.
It's a great thing, I wonder why there's nothing in the news. This should be something worthy to report I guess.

[mindseye]

My Hotmail account, too! My spam has dropped by about 90% in the last three or so days!

[Ned]

This all seems to be confined to users of Hotmail. I see no drop and spam our junk e-mails.

[Cruddy]

It appears that everybody else's Spam has appeared in my Hotmail account...

Count your blessings.

[centrifuge]

After the number of people with the so-big virus declined, so did my spam. This accompanied with government crack downs, a firewall, a spam filter, and a refusal to accept offers /news etc from most sites.

I now honestly only get maybe one spam message every 2 weeks.

[MrFun]

Let's see . . . . I've had AOL for eight years, and I have received zero spam for the past five years. not bad

[CerberusIV]

Originally posted by MrFun
Let's see . . . . I've had AOL for eight years, and I have received zero spam for the past five years. not bad

I am less impressed with AOL on this (I like the pop-up blocker). How difficult is it to understand that emails with "Viagra" or "increase your size" in the title are spam? So much for AOL blocking spam.

To be fair I don't see the ones they do block but getting any is irritating.

[MrFun]

You don't understand -- I get zilch in junk e-mail with AOL.

[CerberusIV]

Originally posted by MrFun
You don't understand -- I get zilch in junk e-mail with AOL.

I do understand that. You're fortunate because I do get junk email through AOL.