Not only are they a nuisance but they are everywhere.
The majority of Internet users have complained about the
over abundance of junk emails or unsolicited emails.

In the technology age that we live in anything and
everything is possible. Unfortunately with the type of
technology that is made available, there are always going
to be manipulators of the system.

Just how advanced are some of these manipulators?

Amongst these culprits are specialized Robots used to
gather information such as for Web search engines to
index a Web site, or a component of a server to gather
information about the Web surfer's IP address and where
they are coming from, or for Internet Marketing
Professionals to compile statistics on the use of the
Internet and for evaluating the effectiveness of a
particular Web site or campaign.

Robots are software programs designed by computer
programmers to serve or to perform a specialized routine.

The same hardworking Robots do have an ugly side,
and they are responsible for more problems than we can
see or realize. Constantly working 24 hours a day, Robots
search all over the Internet for email addresses that are
available for free and for various purposes.

Not only do you potentially become a part of an emailing
list when you sign up for a subscription, email notification
of news, or any type of group, but you are constantly
monitored by specialized Robots that roam every nook and
cranny of the Internet world for evidence of an email address
or a group of email addresses.

Worse than a computer virus, Robots are silent and can
create more problems for everybody and not just for one
user. They have the capability of attaching themselves
without permission to unsuspecting emails. Not only do
some Robots go for the free ride, but they act as spys
tracing the origination and destination of emails, and
discovering potential emailing lists that can be used for
several purposes.

Even the Web sites you browse someone has unknowingly
exposed themselves to the possibility of being on an
unsolicited emailing list. If you look at all the web sites out 
there, including ours, you can see how much information is
gathered to be used by spammers everywhere and email
marketing groups around the world. 

For example, all web sites have an email contact. Well this
is a problem in itself. Remember that Robots search every
nook and cranny, well any email address that exists on a web
page is a victim or will become one very soon.

As the technology advances and computer programmers
become more knowledgeable, you simply cannot discount
the fact that every detail about you, your computer hardware,
software, and configuration are at the disposal of some
manipulative Robot.

Some of the major technology companies already have the
tools to gather information about you, without your permission.
Despite some sources, I personally would not doubt the ability
of Robots to probe your email program for your email address. 

So how do you prevent your email address from being used
inappropriately?

One way is to avoid using your own personal email address
on Web sites, and instead use one specifically for the
purpose. This way you protect your one personal email
address and you only receive junk emails on the one email
account rather than several.

Another way is when you are leaving your email address for
a subscription or a news article or daily horoscope, always
use an email address that is specifically for that purpose.

Email filters are also available in some email programs to sift
through unsolicited junk mail. There are also software programs
that you can buy that will do the same.

If you have young children around, Internet usage must be
monitored carefully by adults at all times. Content filtering
software can be purchased as well.

The most effective prevention is not always the best, as
someone or a group of email users will be affected in some way.
Some email filters will do a darn good job, but at the sacrifice of
filtering out legitimate emails.

Using a third party email account such as Hotmail, Yahoo,
Canoe, and many others are also ways to keep junk emails in
disposable accounts. If you become tired of the junk emails all
you do is simply toss the email account. Meanwhile you preserve
your personal email address for communicating with friends
and associates.

The most common sense approach is simply to delete emails that
you do not know who the sender is. It only takes one click of a
button and its gonzo.

Last, if you do not want to be the receiver of junk emails at all,
then you should not be on the Internet in the first place. The
harsh fact is that the Internet is a free-for-all medium for the use
of communicating with others and for around the world. With
the free and unlimited access to information on the Internet, there
is always a cost associated with it.

You can always fight it and spend oodles of money in programs
to stop it, but eventually someone or something will render it
useless. So be aware that despite the nuisance, Robots and junk
emails are a fact of life in the Internet world.