Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

EFF, Gator Against Other Pop-ups?

Posted by Hemos on from the the-enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend dept.

The Register reports that Gator has filed suit against Extended Stay America Inc to ensure that Extended cannot block its ads. Gator's argument is that consumers should be able to decide what they see on the Web and not Web site owners. It said in its suit that Extended Stay America has no right to prevent computer users from choosing to get its software and "viewing separate works, comprising advertising on that user's own computer screen, even when other works share the screen." Meanwhile, the EFF is considering supporting Gator's case, saying the issue is about who controls a computer when people go on-line.

3 of 52 comments (clear)

  1. Re:If the EFF supports Gator, then... by joebp · · Score: 5, Insightful
    I thought the EFF was here to defend, first, the people rights online over those of the companies, even more unethical ones.
    The real point is - who decides what you see what is on your screen when you visit a website?

    If it is the website owner, this sets a very bad precident for protecting consumers from crap like popups and excessive adverts (ahem, he says on /.).

    If Gator looses this action, it is likely that ad-blocking software (did anyone say Mozilla?) will be liable to similar actions. The point being Gator is contending that the User should decide what is on her screen when visiting a website.

    This doesn't detract from the fact that Gator are shady, near-fraudulent scamsters who need a jolly good beating with a cluestick.

  2. C'mon, be rational by Chris+Pimlott · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Is Gator a scummy company? Sounds like it. Do pop-up ads suck? Hell yes, why do you think I use Mozilla? But does it matter in this case? No.

    This case is about one specific thing, does control rest in the hands of the remote web site or within your own computer. The law does not give one damn about who Gator is; if Extended Stay America wins and sets the precident that the web site gets to control _completely_ how your computer displays it, it won't have matter if it were Gator or if it were motherteresa.com.

    Look past the company and look at the issues at stake. It _is_ one worth fighting for.

  3. You're all missing the bigger picture by parliboy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Should an ISP be permitted to proactively block content. In other words:

    Could Time Warner Cable block sites that are critical of AOL?

    Should Universities acknowledge the RIAA letter and continue their P2P crackdowns?

    etc.

    EFF is attempting to demonstrate that the liberties and rights we all enjoy must apply to everyone, or they apply to noone.

    --
    "You're never ready, just less unprepared."