What Is Heuristic Filtering?

Heuristic filtering is like a great dream come true for the Internet. Now you can have your web-surfing experience filtered by an algorithm that thinks like a person—thanks to heuristic filtering! Heuristic filtering is a high-level algorithm that allows computers to make decisions based on human intuition and experience rather than using simple technical metrics. With heuristic filtering, computers can analyze text or content in specific ways or decide what information should be presented to users. The use of heuristic filtering is most widespread in email and Web access (though other forms are possible), where it's often used to filter emails from spam or unwanted content. The idea of spam filtering is not a new one. It dates to the Roman Empire's days when Emperor Augustus Caesar would send out letters to his subjects asking them to contribute money for his campaigns. And if there's one thing that's been consistent throughout history, it's that people never seem to stop getting spam. The word 'spam' comes from a Monty Python sketch where every dish served at a restaurant was named "Spam!" Spam's popularity can be attributed to its versatility: it can be used in any meal and can also be used as an appetite suppressant (though this use is not recommended). For many users, though, spam still poses a problem—especially those who rely on public email services with spam filters. Spam filtering works by identifying specific words or phrases that signal an email might be spammy (like "viagra"), then marking emails containing those words or phrases as likely to be spam. If you're writing an email about viagra but don't want people thinking you're trying to sell them something, you'll need to avoid using the word viagra in your email content!