Excellent. Spyware and adware are a scourge; there are better methods of getting consumer information for advertisers.
Spitzer Sues Intermix for Alleged 'Spyware':
Spitzer sued Intermix for allegedly installing advertising software sometimes known as “spyware” or “adware” on millions of personal computers.
New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer on Thursday sued an Internet marketer, claiming the company installed “spyware” and “adware” that secretly install nuisance pop-up advertising on screens which can slow and crash personal computers.Mr. Spitzer said the suit filed in New York City against Intermix Media Inc. of Los Angeles combats the redirecting of home computer users to unwanted Web sites and its own Web site that includes ads, the adding of unnecessary toolbar items and the delivery of unwanted ads that pop up on computer screens. After a six-month investigation Mr. Spitzer concluded the company installed a wide range of advertising software on countless personal computers nationwide.
“Spyware and adware are more than an annoyance,” Mr. Spitzer said. “These fraudulent programs foul machines, undermine productivity and in many cases frustrate consumers' efforts to remove them from their computers. These issues can serve to be a hindrance to the growth of e-commerce.”
Mr. Spitzer's civil suit accuses Intermix of violating state General Business Law provisions against false advertising and deceptive business practices. He also accuses them of trespass under New York common law.
The company, which was formerly known as eUniverse Inc., is accused of downloading ads and software that directs ads to a computer based on the user's activities. Mr. Spitzer's investigators said the downloads then attach to computers, often slowing their operation and crashing the computers as well as interfering with use of the computer through pop-up ads. Often the downloads were made without notice when a user visited a Web site, played a game or accepted a screen saver. Sometimes the user was asked permission through an often vague reference in a lengthy licensing agreement which could be misleading or inaccurate, investigators said.
{Current Affairs, Techno-babble}
Wired jumps in:
N.Y. Sues Marketer Over Spyware:
The state attorney general targets a California company, claiming that it surreptitiously installs spyware and adware that fouls computers and ultimately harms e-commerce.
Technorati Tags: Current Affairs, Techno-babble
