2. User time
Let's assume that #1 is completely wrong: let's assume that
most/all users are competent spam/non-spam classifying engines.
Let's further assume that they're so proficient at it that they
can do so in 5 seconds per message.
Based on both these incredibly over-optimistic assumptions, we can
then calculate how much end-user time will be spent performing
this classification task and hitting the button. 6.3 million
decisions/pushes equates to about a man-year, which means that even
a single small spam run (say 300 million attempts, 3% delivery rate,
thus 9 million deliveries) can easily chew up well over a man-year
of time. Do the math.
Part of the reason we try to stop spam/spammers is to prevent
them from using up end-user time. We should not be tasking
users with this, as it neatly undercuts part of what we're
trying to do.
I don't think your numbers are very realistic (neither the 3% delivery rate for
large campaigns, nor the 100% of users that will click the TIS button), but
more importantly, how is this supposed to take longer than the alternative for
unwanted messages of any kind: clicking the Delete/Trash button? In GMail, for
instance, both buttons are right next to each other.
I think the only conclusion one can draw from the above is that reporting a
message as spam shouldn't be more difficult that deleting a message. But then,
if it were more difficult, most people simply wouldn't use that button.
Martijn.
PS unrelated to the above, but to save myself from thinking whether it's worth
sending a reminder at all: CFP for VB2010 (conference on (anti-) malware/spam,
29 Sep-1 Oct, Vancouver) closes this coming Friday.
http://www.virusbtn.com/conference/vb2010/call/index
Virus Bulletin Ltd, The Pentagon, Abingdon, OX14 3YP, England.
Company Reg No: 2388295. VAT Reg No: GB 532 5598 33.
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