Google Calendar Spam

If, like me, you've recently found yourself plagued with 'advertisements' and what could categorically be described as 'spam' across your Google Calendar, you may be wondering where these 'events' have come from? After all, the Google Calendar adds to Google's portfolio of products that make android an all round platform of convenience.

You may be wondering if Google have 'sold out' or if your Google account has been hacked. Fear not, the simple truth is - well, just that - simple.

It's more than likelyyou'll have spoted these events through alerts, beit on your phone, tablet, or even a notification enabled application or widget for Google Calendar. You'll be more than aware of just how frustrating this can be.

If you've read this far, and you're nodding your head thinking to yourself, "yep, that's me!" then it's also just as likely you're a member of Google+ or any of Google's social services that involve contacts being added to your Google contacts.

"How does this relate to an explossion of invasive events being added my your calendar?" I hear you ask. Well, like many platform based calendar services (such as Windows Live or an Outlook Exchange Server) Google allows users that share the platform who are linked in contacts (trusted) to 'invite' each other to events.

In Google's case, when you're invited to an event it will be added to your calendar for your convenience. This at least, is how the calendar works by default; I imply there that this is not an indefinite configuration.

These 5 simple steps below will assure you're never harrassed by an unwanted, unheard of event through Google Calendar ever again.

Stop this, once and for all!

1. The first step is to log into your Google Calendar via. a web browser, http://www.google.com/calendar

2. Towards the top right corner of the calendar interface, just below your profile photo if you have one, you should see a 'bolt' icon. Click it, then click 'Settings'.

3. Keeping on the 'General' tab, scroll down the list of settings and locate 'Automatically add invitations to my calendar'.

4. Immediately you should spot this setting has defaulted to 'Yes'. You may wish at this point to keep the events, but only set reminders once you have responded. If so, select 'Yes, but don't send event reminders unless I have responded "yes" or "maybe"'. You may choose not to have them at all. In which case, you'll want to choose 'No, only show invitations to which I have responded'.

5. Finally, scroll to the very bottom and press Save. You'll be taken back to Google Calendar, though should notice that any pre-existing 'Spam' events have been removed.