# Does the "report as spam" option work on ISPs?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-report-as-spam-option-work-on-isps/337814>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 31, 2005, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-report-as-spam-option-work-on-isps/337814 "2005-12-31T03:00:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\
**Post date:** [December 31, 2005, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-report-as-spam-option-work-on-isps/337814/1 "2005-12-31T03:00:09Z")

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Before I check my email w/Thunderbird, I go directly to [comcast.net](http://comcast.net). That way I can check for spam and use their “Report as spam” option.

Any idea if this works? It doesn’t seem to.

What exeactly is supposed to be happening when I do that?

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**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\
**Post date:** [December 31, 2005, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-report-as-spam-option-work-on-isps/337814/2 "2005-12-31T03:04:22Z")

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It builds a database of Spam reports from all their users who feel the need to report it. If they get enough reports for the same or similar ones, they can block future e-mails that are the same or similar or ones or those from a certain source. It won’t do much for you personally in the short-term but it uses their users as human spam identifiers and may help in the long-run if everyone does it.