We hate spammers with a passion, don’t we? Of course we do. There is nothing to love about people who manipulate the system in a way that only benefits them. They are a hated bunch on the web. They are the reason we enable “comment moderation,” the reason we freak out on Twitter and Facebook over “Mafia Invites,” etc. However, if the question arises do we need spammers, I would have to say the answer is yes.
Let’s think of it this way. There are many parasites, bugs we hate and squash the minute we see. Do we need them? You bet we do so the chain keeps on going and so on and so forth. There is a place for everything and everyone whether it be the virtual world or the real world. I hate spammers as much as you do but I think spammers are necessary to some point, especially for us marketers. Feel free to disagree, but usually when there is a platform that can be utilized as a marketing channel, it’s the spammers who are the early adopters. They figure out how to manipulate it, they learn how to get things going and rest of us wait and see what’s happening. When the activity reaches a certain level and these spammers start making money, we realize the channel has serious potential and we jump on board.
Whether or not you agree with me, spammers are essential when it comes to finding out true potential of any social media channel. For example : You may never think of using Facebook ads. One day out of nowhere you hear someone making $10,000 dollars a month (some really are and much more than that) and realize that you could use it to market your own business, blogs, etc. Let’s face it. Spammers suck but they do give us insight into how to explore a platform. What we can’t do is follow their path. What we can do is learn from them and create a positive impact using these marketing channels rather than becoming a spammer ourselves. I will say this with tongue in cheek – most businesses and brands realize the true potential of a platform once they see rise in spammers. It tells them the platform has serious potential as a marketing channel.
If you disagree, let’s have a healthy discussion. What do you think? Do we need spammers? I say YES! What do you say?
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Hi, My name is Ritu. I am a member of SMA (Social Media Anonymous) ;-) & help bloggers and businesses utilize the social web. 
Ritu, your post reminded me of the story of a King who hated mosquitoes but became thankful when a mosquito bite awakened him before the enemies reached to him.
You do have a strong point. Another angle to look at it is how the spam challenge the developers.
I think the Google algorithm (and other algorithms) would not be this developed today, if they were not spammed heavily.
I agree with your point of view thinking of spam as necessary evil that might eventualy bring some inspiration for good efforts.Always look at the bright side of spam!
Developers of spamfilters are heroes, not just fighting the technologic battle under constant attack of bandwith desire, but also desinfecting the net from stupid and ugly ideas. When you think about the most content of spam = porn, gambling , drugs/ viagras /whatever overdose, false degree certificates, pirate software, stupid replicas.. .which is all just hunt for luxury and pleasures… i wish only spammers think anything of that can make life good and happy, and wish for them to realize soon that its not about that.
Next idea coming to my mind is : regardless of how smart and well-set my mail-app spam filter is, I still have to make a brief look at content of my spambox folders. And it often means I do it many times through day, just to check if some non-spam message eventually didnt lost ist way to me. And it happens occasionaly.
And the last but not least topic: I recently got the best spam in my life!
(Monty Python´s Flying Circus idea) I think this can is going to be icocinc just like Campbell´s soup is thanks to A. Warhol!
Actually it was spam delivered by classic (non-electronic) post mail- and it was the original english Spam can of chopped pork and ham
Hey Shiju, thanks for sharing the “king story.” You bring up an awesome point in regards to all the other development and security advancements that come along because of the spammers.
@bgr : Amazing! There is always a positive side to everything and am glad you are looking at the brightest side of it. Keep it up!
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