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ERIC Number: ED556164
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 181
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 978-1-3035-6150-4
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Assessing the Factors Affecting the Amount of E-Mail Spam Delivery in a Public School District
Yasenchock, David A.
ProQuest LLC, D.B.A. Dissertation, Northcentral University
Eighty to ninety percent of e-mail is considered unsolicited commercial communication, or spam. Not only does spam violate the privacy of users, but it also incurs societal costs associated with time-related losses, serves as a vehicle for cyber-crime, and threatens the success of e-commerce by lowering consumer confidence. This quantitative correlational ex post facto study explored factors contributing to the volume of spam received by users in a rural New Hampshire school district using a sample of 232 teachers, volunteers, parents, and vendors associated with the school district. A self-administered cross-sectional survey of users was utilized to gather data. Data were analyzed using hierarchical regression to assess whether and to what extent the number and percentage of users' spam messages were influenced by demographic variables, user skill, e-mail behaviors, and attitudes toward spam. For demographic variables, only education was significant (ß = 0.17, p < 0.05). User skill was not significant (ß = 0.05, p > 0 .05). For user behaviors, only amount of computer use was significant (ß = -0.14, p < 0.05). It was concluded on this basis that the number of spam messages is not affected by user skill or anti-spam attitudes, but education and amount of computer use may have an effect. On this basis, it is recommended that professional development intended to reduce spam on this network should be provided to users of all education levels, and should include information about the apparent direct relationship between behaviors in response to spam and the indirect relationship with time spent using a computer. In addition, training should be tailored to older, younger, and less skilled users, who appear to have greater vulnerability to spam. Research in this school district should focus on possible transmission of questionable content transmitted to teachers via their students' e-mails. Future studies could extend this research to other educational and governmental institutions. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New Hampshire
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A