A new Apple Knowledge Base article details steps that people can take to report spam iMessages. If you receive and unwanted iMessage, you can report it to imessage.spam@icloud.com by sending a screenshot of the message, the sender's email address or phone number, and the date and time that the message was received.
To report unwanted iMessage messages to Apple, please send an email with the following details to: imessage.spam@icloud.com
Include a screenshot of the message you have received. Include the full email address or phone number you received the unwanted message from. Include the date and time that you received the message.
While the process certainly could have been even more complicated, it also seems like Apple could have made it easier. For instance, Apple could have added a "report as spam" button to iMessage, similar to what some Twitter apps implement. It's possible, however - and some might say likely - that Apple intentionally added a bit of a barrier to curtail accidental or false reports.
Also, given some of the scrutiny Apple has come under for claims of iMessage encryption, and potential government spying through the NSA's PRISM program, it's in Apple's best interest to require people to exercise very explicitly consent when they share any communications with Apple. If people could flag a message on the device and have it be automatically sent to Apple, this could open the door for accusations of Apple accessing private communications. If people are required to take a screenshot, then manually submit the information to Apple themselves for the offending message, it leaves no room to accuse Apple of viewing message they shouldn't.
For people who may find these steps to be too slow and too much effort, good news comes with iOS 7. One of the features Apple announced is the ability to block specific contacts. This means, if you receive an unwanted iMessage (or SMS or phone call), you will be able to immediately block any further messages from that phone number or email address.
Developers can test the functionality now, and the everybody else will have access to it this fall when iOS 7 is officially released to the public.
Source: Apple Knowledge Base article via Beau Giles
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Olivia Wilde
Megan Fox
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