Is it illegal to advertise via spam?

[Kim]

Is it legal to promote your business on social media via spam?

Of course, it may be against the policy of the social media site to spam, but can you get sued for it? What if, hypothetically, I spam yahoo answers to get people to notice my business. I know that the owners of yahoo have better things to do than sue me, but could they technically?

Also, I'm aware that spam gets deleted and that it's against the terms and conditions of nearly every website. I'm just wondering if I could be sued for it.

What if, hypothetically, spamming on a website does attract a substantial number of clients, and a business thrives? Are they then more open to being sued since they profited from spamming?

FYI, I am thinking about doing this, but not on this website. I understand it's annoying, but I'm hoping answers will focus on the legality of spam rather than their distain for it.
@ Inda Cloud

Thanks. Do you happen to know whether what you said also applies to Canada? I think I should have specified.
@Listener Sheogorath

I don't see how that makes sense. Think of what you're saying and it's implications. If I sent "gay propaganda" to someone in Sochi, where it is illegal, there's absolutely no way in hell I'd be prosecuted in Canada for that If it's not illegal here they won't have any success in suing me =P

[ScalesofJustice4]

Basically that is all Spam is.

[esmerelda]

If you spam YA, you will get reported, because NOBODY is here on YA to read your crap.

ALL you do is irritate people. I would never buy anything from someone who spams, and more to the point, I'd never click on a spam addy because some spammers are linking to sites full of trojans and other garbage.

In any case, agreeing to TOS is equivalent to signing a legal document, so yes, they could sue you if you persisted.

I report spam every time I see it. It's just a waste of everyone's time.

[Inda Cloud]

Sued? No. However, using these kind of tactics is really bad for business. Your brand will become known for spamming, and consumers have a way of knowing it's spam, and will stay away from you. In droves.

[794]

I know spam is illegal in the UK if you send it to people personally, so on a social network, you'd certainly be skating a fine line.
@ Davii: It doesn't matter what the law is in Canada, the laws of the country where the spam is received apply since it is the recipient that has to put up with the inconvenience created by it.
Edit: You're right, you wouldn't have anything happen to you in Canada for pro-gay material sent by you to Russia, but the Russian government would ban you from the country, and if you went there, you'd be fined and imprisoned. Similarly, if you send spam to UK residents via text messages, email, or in their inboxes on websites, then you can be fined by the UK government. Simples!