Spam—unsolicited or mass-distributed messages aimed at promoting products, services, or conducting fraudulent schemes—has become an integral part of the internet environment. Despite effective filters and anti-spam laws, the problem persists, and with the development of technologies and social media, its scale continues to grow. This article examines current trends in spam, compares the Russian and global segments, and provides a forecast for the coming years.

Current Scale of Spam

According to a 2023 analytical report by Kaspersky Lab:

  • 45% of all emails worldwide are spam.
  • Approximately 70% of spam relates to commercial offers, 15% to phishing, and 10% to fraudulent schemes.
  • The largest sources of spam are the following countries: the USA (11.3%), Russia (9.1%), and China (7.9%).
In the Global Segment:
  • Spam is particularly noticeable on social media. According to Statista’s 2023 data, 27% of content on social media is spam or unwanted advertising.
  • Spam is most frequently targeted at users of Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp.

Rankings of Social Media Platforms by Spam Levels

  1. Facebook
    1. 31% of users encounter unwanted advertising or fraudulent messages monthly.
    2. Common types of spam: fake contests and fraudulent ads.
  2. Instagram
    1. Spam appears in 28% of accounts.
    2. Frequently used to promote counterfeit brands or fake services (e.g., “Win an iPhone”).
  3. TikTok
    1. 24% of users regularly encounter spam in comments.
    2. Dominated by advertisements for illegal services and phishing links.
  4. Telegram
    1. Spam accounts for up to 20% of messages in public chats.
    2. Includes fraudulent offers and links to fake cryptocurrency projects.
  5. VKontakte (VK)
    1. Spam makes up about 22% of the platform’s content.
    2. Often used for mass advertising and fake promotions.

Future Trends and Forecasts

  1. Increased Volume of Spam on Social Media and Messaging Platforms
    By 2025, according to Gartner, the share of spam on social media could reach 35% of all content. This is due to:
  • Enhanced algorithmic promotion of content.
  • The difficulty of moderating platforms with a growing user base.
  1. Growth of AI-Based Spam Bots
    Spam bots are already leveraging AI to create realistic texts and interactions, making them harder to detect.
    By 2026, it is projected that more than 50% of all spam messages will be generated using AI.
  2. Increased Attacks in Russia
    In the Russian internet segment, phishing attacks targeting users’ financial data are expected to rise. A significant threat involves fake domains of banks and major retailers.
  3. Blockchain Solutions Against Spam
    Emerging technologies like blockchain could be effective tools in combating spam. Platforms for verifying message authenticity are already under development.

Measures to Address the Problem

  1. Improvement of Filters and Algorithms
    Modern technologies are actively integrated into spam detection and blocking systems. For instance, Google and Microsoft use machine learning to create adaptive filters that respond to new threats.
  2. Kolas.Ai—An Innovative Solution
    Kolas.Ai is a cloud-based service utilizing artificial intelligence to automatically analyze and filter spam.

    1. Features: Trained on millions of spam content examples, the service effectively identifies unwanted messages even in unconventional formats.
    2. Applications: Kolas.Ai integrates with email platforms, messaging apps, and social networks (by anti spam Telegram-bot), helping companies and users protect their communications.
    3. Effectiveness: According to the company, Kolas.Ai reduces spam on corporate platforms by up to 90%.

  3. Strict Laws and Enforcement
    In 2023, Russia adopted a law tightening penalties for mass spam distribution. As a result, spam volume in the Russian internet segment decreased by 15% in the first six months of the law’s enforcement.
  4. User Education
    One of the key aspects of combating spam is raising user awareness. For example, regularly reminding users not to click on suspicious links helps reduce the number of successful attacks.

Spam remains one of the most persistent challenges in the internet environment. Despite progress in developing protective technologies, spammers continue to find new ways to reach users. The main battle against unwanted content must be fought through a combination of technical, legal, and educational measures. Given current trends, the coming years will reveal whether the global internet community can reduce the scale of this problem.

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