For online professionals, definitions of spam can range from deviously loose to incredibly tight and specific.
Some, particularly those in social media and new media, take a direct and anti-spam approach, branding almost every online commercial interaction and marketing campaign as ‘spam.’
Others, particularly marketers themselves, feel that spam is limited to unwanted email, direct marketing messages, and social media solicitations.
It is often said that there is one great thing about blogs and social media, and one equally bad thing.
The great thing, obviously, is that they have given a voice to thousands of intellectuals, remarkable people, and revolutionaries that would have otherwise gone unheard. Thousands of new ideas are out there, millions of people are joining the conversation, and new relationships are being created every second of every day.
Of course, the bad thing is that every idiot (including me), every incompetent businessperson, and every malicious internet user has a voice. From abusive blogs to outright hate speech social media groups, the issue of abusive and malicious content on social media networks is one that’s attracted a lot of strong opinions and a lot of discussion.