Unsolicited, often irrelevant or inappropriate email messages sent in bulk to a large number of recipients, typically for the purpose of advertising, phishing, or other forms of malicious activity. SPAM is characterized by its mass distribution to recipients who did not request or consent to receive such communications. SPAM emails can clutter inboxes, reduce productivity, and pose security risks, as they may contain harmful links or attachments. Many email providers and systems use filtering mechanisms to detect and block SPAM to protect users and maintain the quality of email communication.