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Given Up to Spyware?

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the unset-passwords-and-publicly-writable-shares dept.

Khuffie writes "Wired has an interesting article about how some people have given up to spyware, knowing that the software they're installing virtually takes over their internet connection. What's even more ironic is that they claim it's a necessary evil for free software, when things like the Google Toolbar virtually replace Gator, and there are many spyware-free P2P programs available."

6 of 733 comments (clear)

  1. For the uninitiated... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Spybot
    Adaware

    Oh, and Linux.

  2. It's called apathy by lordkuri · · Score: 5, Informative

    People just don't care... they can't be bothered to think about it. I've talked to so many people, "yeah.. I need to get a new computer, this one's slow" their system gets hosed, they just get a new computer. wtf is with that?

  3. Hidden vs. Visible Costs by Geckoman · · Score: 5, Informative
    It's not really a trade-off between privacy and free software, it's a trade-off between privacy and convenience. Many people have made the value judgment that the time and effort necessary to fight spyware and find non-treacherous alternatives is worth more to them than the privacy they give up.

    The cost of the privacy lost is invisible and (apparently) non-intrusive, while the cost of the time and effort is obvious and immediately quantifiable.

    Think about how many times you've heard someone say things along these lines: "Can you believe I spent 6 hours cleaning spyware off my system and had to reinstall Windows twice? Then I had to find new software with a privacy policy acceptible to me, and it took hours to download and install it all."

    Compare that to how many times you've heard someone say something like: "Wow! I had spyware all over my system. It was tracking my shopping and browsing habits, reporting my computer usage stats to ad agencies, and sending my IP and passwords to a scam company in Russia!"

    The cost former is obvious to even the most ignorant users, while the cost of the latter requires much more insight and knowledge.

  4. Re:next time take a router, by monkeymanatwork · · Score: 5, Informative

    Good idea, but many ISPs (Comcast) don't support routers. I have called Comcast when their crappy connection goes up and down (happens about once per week these days for a whole day). The first thing they ask is if you have a router. If you say yes, they tell you they do not support routers, and refuse to help you any further. I asked them if they sell a router solution, and the answer is "no." Apparently their solution to the problem is for you to use WinXP and enable firewalling, or buy ZoneAlarm (which they also don't sell).

    Comcast is a monopoly where I and many others live. Let's hope the Supremes force them to open their cable lines to competitors. The result of them forcing BellSouth to do so has resulted (finally) in my recent switch to an unlimited local and long distance provider for $45/month.

  5. Spyware in Developing Countries by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    I just returned from Sierra Leone, likely the poorest country in the world.

    A good internet connection is 8kbs and that's when the power hasn't failed or you have petrol for your generator and the phone system delivers a dial tone.

    Even so, the 8kbps costs $200 a month in a country where an OK wage for a laborer is $2 a day -- when a job can be had at all.

    When time after time I see 30-50 percent of that 8kbs bandwidth wasted by spyware, it really makes me angry.

    Spyware hurts entire developing countries.

  6. May be a bit off topic, but... by jaeson · · Score: 5, Informative
    Here is an interesting article

    This is one of my two favorite parts from this article:
    "...a clause inserted by Claria about 3,000 words into a 5,936-word licensing agreement. It reads: 'You agree that you will not use, or encourage others to use, any unauthorized means for the removal of the GAIN Adserver, or any GAIN-supported software from a computer.'"

    Of course the only "supported" way is through Add/Remove Programs, and NOT through the use of Spybot, etc.

    And here is the second tidbit (also from the linked article):
    "Edelman also found that Claria's licensing agreement tries to prohibit users from deploying network monitors to inspect and report transmissions made between their computer, their local network, and the GAIN servers."

    Fucking Asshats.