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A "kill file" is a user-created file that automatically filters out or "kills" unwanted messages from newsgroups or email by matching specific criteria like author, subject, or keywords. By extension, the term can also refer to the action of ignoring a person or topic. While the original context was Usenet newsgroups, the concept is a form of message filtering, and "kill file" functionality is found in many modern email and news reading programs.

What a kill file does

Filters unwanted content: It acts as a filter to automatically hide or delete posts that match the rules you define.

Customizable rules: You can set rules to ignore specific users, topics, or any other part of a message's header.

Prevents message display: Any message that matches a rule in the kill file is not downloaded or displayed, effectively "killing" it from your view.

Example: A user could create a kill file to ignore all messages from a specific user or all messages with the subject "Free Offer".