The first email spam was sent in 1978 by a DEC marketing representative to 400 ARPANET users advertising computers.
Sources
- https://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/the-web/20/392/2366 (computerhistory.org)
- https://yourstory.com/2023/05/origin-email-spam-digital-communication (yourstory.com)
- https://moosend.com/blog/gary-thuerk-people-make-the-same-mistakes-over-and-over-again/ (moosend.com)
- https://webiano.digital/gary-thuerks-1978-arpanet-email-still-explains-the-spam-problem/ (webiano.digital)
- https://www.thedailystar.net/tech-startup/news/history-the-first-ever-spam-email-3485686 (thedailystar.net)
- https://www.abc27.com/digital-originals/may-3-1978-the-first-spam-email/ (abc27.com)
- https://abusix.com/blog/the-birth-of-email-spam-gary-thuerks-1978-green-card-incident/ (abusix.com)
- https://www.computerworld.com/article/1569672/unsung-innovators-gary-thuerk-the-father-of-spam.html (computerworld.com)
- https://thisdayintechhistory.com/05/03/the-first-mass-unsolicited-commercial-e-mail-i-e-spam/ (thisdayintechhistory.com)