Definitions of spam category items

Version: 0.91, 16 April 2003 (working document)
Authors: Francine, May Yii, David

This file is at file://G:\Web Page\WORKING\www\spam\Help\Definitions.htm
See also the original at http://www.cyberlawcentre.org/spam/Help/Definitions_old.htm
Baker Cyber Law Centre - Spam Project - References database

Contents:

Introduction

This document describes the categories used in the reference database being developed to categorise existing materials on the topic of practical solutions to problems relating to spam to assist the Spam project being carried out by interns at the Baker & McKenzie Cyberpsace Law and Policy Centre at UNSW Law Faculty, Sydney in 2003.

We are interested in the resources of most use to certain groups of users, offering certain solutions to spam related problems, in certain subject areas. We rate the usefulness of these resources on a scale, and categorise the different type of content at each resource.

It is a work in progress, being developed in parallel with other artefacts using rapid application development 'iterative prototyping' and user centred-design principles.

User groups <top>

This section lists the selected target User Groups for the results of this project. A larger number of potential groups was considered and these were the groups selected.

For each website entry, check the box beside each of these groups who would be interested in the contents of that website, given their attributes as described below.

Ordinary user
This group contains adult users, assumed as having a relatively low level of literacy and low level of technical expertise. Special mention should be given in the notes section of the database entry, if the website content provides particular help to elderly, people with disabilities or people with low incomes.
Parents and children
This group contains ordinary adult users who are parents with children, and the children themselves. This group requires special attention because they would hold particular concerns regarding their children's vulnerability to spam containing illegal and pornographic content.
Tech support
This group encompasses all sophisticated users that have technical expertise and provide support at the desktop level within organisations. They are unlikely to be overwhelmed by material that is presented in a dense and detailed way.
Network engineer
This group encompasses all sophisticated users that have technical expertise and provide support at the network level within organisations. They are unlikely to be overwhelmed by material that is presented in a dense and detailed way.
(Ethical) Bulk emailers
This groups encompasses users that intend to carry out bulk emailing, but with an intentin to act in a way that is considerate of others in the cyberspace community; such as direct marketers complying with reasonable standards of behaviour. However, they may not be aware of how this can be achieved.

It also includes a group initially in a separate category, (real or apparent) originators or relayers of email who experience retaliation due to alleged bad email practice; for example, through being blacklisted.
Policy experts
This group encompasses people in organisations involved in policy, regulation, legislation, and law enforcement measures associated with aspects of spam,. They will have an interest in policy, regulation, legislation both currently implemented or proposed, within Australia and internationally.
Management
This group encompasses the members of an organisation involved in its management and governance. It is assumed that this group of users possess a level of technical sophistication comparable with ordinary adult users and will have similar interests to that group, but with an emphasis on organisational responsibilities and risks.

Media
Journalists and media producers interested in reporting spam-related issues to various audiences. This group would have various levels of technical sophistication and different primary areas of interest, depending on their publication and audience. Policy and law is likely to be of greater interest to this group.

Solutions <top>

This section lists possible solutions that can be provided for the issue of spam. For each website entry, check the box beside each of those solutions which are addressed by the content of the website. This includes both solutions that are currently implemented or are proposed for the future.

Education
Education and training of various groups as a prime solution. Include general community education and programs with a specific technical, regulatory, business or law enforcment focus.
Regulation
Legal and regulatory approaches, including national and international schemes, and options involving non-governmental regulatory regimes.
Legislation (and Cases)
Specific laws and specific legal cases, including test cases.
Policy
Policy development and implementation in various domains, not necessarily involving formal regulatory outcomes.
Blacklists (Maps, Realtime)
Use of lists of known spammers, message relayers and others thought to be guilty of 'bad' behaviour, often as the input to technical filters.
Whitelists
Use of lists of known friends, agreed correspondents and other acceptable actors, often as the input to technical filters.
Revenge (eg spam poisoning)
Description of techniques to feed realistic but useless data to wandering address harvesters to contaminate spammers databases; so as to require that they be discarded or all data retrieved from your site be removed.
Third party services DELETE
<definition or examples of questions you'd ask to check this box.>
<why we should delete it? What other term it overlaps etc..>
Disposable addresses
<definition or examples of questions you'd ask to check this box.>
Filtering
<definition or examples of questions you'd ask to check this box.>
Other Technical tools ADD:
<definition>
<why we should add it? What other terms it connects with etc..>
Payments (monetary or other) DELETE
<definition or examples of questions you'd ask to check this box.>
<why we should delete it? What other term it overlaps etc..>
Secure channels DELETE
<definition or examples of questions you'd ask to check this box.>
<why we should delete it? What other term it overlaps etc..>
Internet mail 1200 DELETE:
<definition or examples of questions you'd ask to check this box.>
<why we should delete it? What other term it overlaps etc..>
Opt-in/Opt-out schemes
Schemes run by senders or other organisations which record addresses of people who opt in or out of receiving varisou types of message, which are intended to be referred to by 'good' bulk message senders.
Complaint mechanisms
Various schemes and processes for receiving, assessing and dealing with spam complaints.
Reporting
<definition or examples of questions you'd ask to check this box.>
Strategies of ISPs and business IGNORE:
<definition or examples of questions you'd ask to check this box.>
<why we should delete it? What other term it overlaps etc..>

Subjects <top>

This section lists subjects related to the issue of spam. For each website entry, check the box beside each of those subjects which are addressed by the content of the website.

Definitions
Statements identifying the characteristics of spam, and/or the meanings of a series of specified technical or jargon terms.
Types of spam
Descriptions or lists of different types of spam.
Causes
Descriptions/analysis of the causes of spam; for example there are hardly any economic constraints due to its negligible cost. Also descriptions/analysis of the technical generation of spam.
Problems
Descriptions/analysis of the problems associated with spam. Also check any of the following subjects that are mentioned as possible problems with spam.
Pornography
Descriptions/analysis of pornography as a problem associated with spam.
Spyware
Software that is put in someone's computer to secretly gather information about the user and relay it to advertisers or other interested parties. Spyware can get in a computer as a software virus or as the result of installing a new program.
Scams (Nigerian etc.)
Descriptions/analysis of possible scams associated with spam.
Privacy
Descriptions/analysis of effects of spam on an individual's privacy (defined as "the right to be left alone").
Cost shifting
Cost of advertising via bulk emailing is shifted towards the recipients.
Impediment to comms (eg facility overload)
Network/bandwidth/storage implications associated with receiving unwanted bulk emails.
Public nuisance
General annoyance/costs to the cyberspace community.
Cost legit. business
Economic and non-economic cost to legitimate business; for example, loss of confidence in bulk emailers in general; cost of lost time/productivity to employees.
Reference
xxx
Organisations
organisations interested in issues around spam.
Regulation
Regulation of spam and related practices and technologies by various authorities and groups.
International
The international aspects of spam, such as foreign origination, international law issues, enforcement aspects.
Other
Any subject not otherwisecategorised.

Usefulness Rating <top>

The assessed usefulness of this resource for its relevant users, on a scale.

Content types<top>

The different types of content held at the referenced resource, with the emphasis on form rather than subject.

FAQ
Contains material in the form of a FAQ (frequently asked questions list).
General solutions
General discussion of solutions to spam problems, including regulatory and legal options.
Specific products(s)
Information about specific spam-related products or services.
Review of products
Comparative reviews of different spam-related products or services.
Specific techniques
Information about specific techniques for minimising spam problems, particularly those which may not rely on external prodcuts or services.
Review of techniques
Comparative reviews of different techniques for minimising spam problems.
Glossary
Lists of terms and their definitions in the form of a glossary
Statistics
Numerical analyses of spam topics.
Portal
A "one stop shop" containing an exhaustive range of contents about spam, perhaps including personalised functions.

<top>

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