Internet abuse costs UK business £3.2 billion a year

A report by a leading internet provider of Internet solutions in the UK has revealed that emails containing spam or porn are costing UK businesses an estimated £3.2 billion every year.

Star Internet revealed that on average an employee spending 10 minutes a day sifting through unwanted or inappropriate email will cost his business approximately £326 every year.

Approximately 20-30 per cent of business email carries spam or pornography, while 95 per cent of this cost could be saved if businesses employ email filtering.

Jos White, Founder and Marketing Director at Star Internet said: “The money being wasted by employees sifting through useless spam and pornographic attachments has a huge impact on profitability. At present around 42 per cent of UK employees have Internet access, and as more businesses go online, the cost will increase.

“Companies need to start employing filtering methods now, and recognise that email management is more than simply an IT issue, it is one that now needs to be considered at boardroom level. It is all about taking responsibility – firms of all sizes need to know that they are protected 24/7, whatever the threat.”

Star Internet is an ISP specialising in the provision of Internet solutions to businesses in the UK.

Part of the Star Technology Group, the company has a strong pedigree in product development and provides a range of services to enable companies to exploit the full potential of the Internet.

Star’s core services comprise access, hosting and a range of integrated services that include email security solutions. (MB)