‘Porn is Passé’ in Spam, AOL Spokesman Says

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.— Most spammers are not dealing in porn, according to Internet heavyweight American Online, which released its annual report Dec. 28 on the Top 10 junk emails of 2005.

Instead, offers for penis patches and a personal note from Donald Trump were the most likely to pass unsolicited into the email boxes of unwitting consumers throughout the country this year.

“Donald Trump Wants You,” was the most frequent spam to come through AOL this year, according to Nicholas Graham, a company spokesman.

Pornography was practically non-existent, quite a jump from last year, when the same report ranked “STEAMY HOT LESBIAN ACTION LIVE ON CAMERA!” as the 4th most sent spam of 2004.

“Porn is passé when it comes to spam,” Graham said, pointing to consumer education and the advancement in filtering technology as principal reasons for the shift.

Graham said AOL filters blocked more spam messages this year than they did in 2004, snagging around a half-trillion spams.

At the same time, however, the number of AOL users reporting junk emails declined by 75 percent over the last two years, he said.

AOL’s latest Top 10 comes just a week after the Federal Trade Commission published a report on the “Effectiveness and Enforcement of the Can-Spam Act,” in which it estimated nearly 70 percent of global email is spam.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

2025 TEAs Winners Announced

Winners of the 2025 Trans Erotica Awards (TEAs) were revealed Sunday night during an invitation-only event at Avalon nightclub in Hollywood.

NYU Study Finds Age Verification Laws Don't Work

A group of university researchers has published a study whose findings suggest that age verification laws are ineffective at achieving their stated goal of preventing minors from accessing adult content.

XVideos Loses Advertiser Reporting Appeal in EU Court

Web Group Czech Republic (WGCZ), parent company of XVideos, has lost an appeal in the top EU court to be temporarily exempted from a requirement to publish a list of the site's advertisers.

2025 Pornhub Awards to Be Held May 8 in Los Angeles

The seventh annual Pornhub Awards will take place May 8 in Los Angeles.

Illinois Lawmakers Propose Decriminalizing Consensual Sex Work

Lawmakers in Illinois have introduced a bill that would completely decriminalize consensual sex work in the state.

VR Bangers Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

VR Bangers has joined the ranks of over 60 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

Missouri House Gives Initial Approval to Age Verification Bill

The Missouri House of Representatives has given initial approval to HB 236, the state's proposed age verification law.

Proposed Australian eSafety Codes Include AV Requirement for Adult Sites

Australia’s online safety regulator, eSafety, is reviewing the final draft of proposed safety codes that include a requirement for adult sites to implement age assurance measures for Australian users.

Pineapple Support to Host 'Self-Harm' Support Group

Pineapple Support is hosting a free online support group for performers and creators who engage in self-harming behaviors.

Ofcom Q&A: Preparing for Age Verification Under the UK's Online Safety Act

In January, the U.K.’s online safety regulator, Ofcom, published its guidance on how online services that host adult content need to verify users’ ages under Ofcom’s rules.

Show More