This becoming a major problem for UK Internet users with the UK government trying to create new laws to prosecute people who send email spam. Email spam is email messages that are unsolicited (not asked for or required) and usually automated (use a program to send same email message to thousands of addresses). Email spam messages are usually trying to sell commercial products or are a "scam" of some sort. Luckily companies like Yahoo and Hotmail who provide free email messages are now providing users with spam filters that stop unsolicited automated email messages.