Toward an Information-Compatible Anti-Spam Strategy

Communications of Association for Computing Machinery, 2008

3 Pages Posted: 24 Oct 2008 Last revised: 18 Apr 2018

See all articles by Robert K. Plice

Robert K. Plice

San Diego State University

Nigel P. Melville

University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business; University of Michigan, College of Engineering

Oleg V. Pavlov

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)

Date Written: 2008

Abstract

As filters improve, the information assets of spammers become more valuable and lead to more, not less, overall spamming activity. This is troubling to contemplate, because it means no amount of spending on better filters will be enough. The next levels of escalation might then involve sender-receiver prearrangement, a new accounting infrastructure or, perhaps, payment or bonding prior to email delivery. We would characterize these steps as capitulation to the spammers, should they occur, because they would mean the end of the free, anonymous, and neutral email that we know today. To avoid capitulation, we argue that researchers should look beyond new spam-identification technologies and consider the information-economic implications of their deployment.

Keywords: spam, e-mail, filtering, communication

Suggested Citation

Plice, Robert K. and Melville, Nigel P. and Pavlov, Oleg V., Toward an Information-Compatible Anti-Spam Strategy (2008). Communications of Association for Computing Machinery, 2008, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1288277

Robert K. Plice (Contact Author)

San Diego State University ( email )

San Diego, CA 92182-0763
United States

Nigel P. Melville

University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business ( email )

701 Tappan Street
Ann Arbor, MI MI 48109
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.nigelpmelville.com/

University of Michigan, College of Engineering ( email )

Ann Arbor, MI
United States

HOME PAGE: http://isd.engin.umich.edu/graduate-degree-programs/design-science/

Oleg V. Pavlov

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) ( email )

100 Institute Road
Worcester, MA 01609
United States

HOME PAGE: http://https://www.wpi.edu/people/faculty/opavlov

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