Recent research by Ferris reported suggests that while instant messaging spam, or spim, is rising, it is still inconsequential.

"Officials at America Online, which runs the popular Instant Messenger service, and Microsoft, which runs MSN Messenger, say they've seen an increase in the amount of IM spam. Messaging and collaboration research firm Ferris Research estimates that the quantity of such solicitations doubled from 2002 to 2003, reaching 500 million last year. That's fast growth, though it's nothing compared with the 800 billion pieces of E-mail spam caught by just one anti-spam provider, Brightmail Inc., in 2003. Ferris Research president David Ferris dismisses the phenomenon. "Let's say there are 200 million IM users at the moment. So 500 million is just one every three or four months. It's just trivial."