Spam onslaught getting worse

More than half of the mail in personal inboxes is spam, with the amount of unsolicited email growing 76 per cent in the last 12 months, according to a survey.

The poll, commissioned by consultancy UNspam, found that three out of four US consumers would support a national 'Do Not Spam' registry, similar to the Federal Trade Commission's 'Do Not Call' registry which allows the public to opt out of receiving telemarketing and sales calls.

Some 78 per cent of respondents said they would sign up should such a registry become available.

Spam is also a costly problem in the workplace - a third of US workers surveyed admitted to being distracted when they receive spam. And almost half said they would be more productive if they received less spam.

Workers said employers have a duty to protect them from unsolicited pornographic email, while 62 per cent said pornographic spam can contribute to a hostile work environment.

"While the survey reconfirms that spam is a nuisance for consumers, the emerging problem we've found is that unsolicited email creates real liability for businesses," said UNspam chief executive, Matthew Prince.

Three-quarters of parents are concerned about children receiving pornographic spam, while 95 per cent said they wanted the ability to block such unsavoury junk mail from children's inboxes.

The UNspam study also revealed that internet users are increasingly relying on technology-driven filters to control the onslaught of spam. But less than half of respondents said that such systems were capable of stemming the junk mail tide.