Slashdot Mirror
Spyware or Researchware?
prostoalex writes "When the story of Firefox Web site visitors being predominantly male was published, many questioned the methodology used to acquire such research data. This MSNBC article talks about another research company, ComScore Networks, using a free antivirus utility to lure the Web users into downloading a small utility to their hard drives. The catch? The software watches not only sites visited, but even locations of the mouse clicks. ComScore swears the final data does not contain any personal information, but, as the article states, anti-spyware utility manufacturers are still thinking whether to include it on their list."
The difference between Spyware and Usage Statistics pretty simple: is it clearly stated to the End User and is optionable. Essentially, its not spyware if you know about it up front and have the ability to (actually,) turn it off.
To find out the gender of a visitor, just create a site which requires visitors to hold one key while moving the mouse.
Or you can ask... most people are honest about their gender unless they are in a chat room. But without any social interaction nobody has a reason to lie.
The dangers of knowledge trigger emotional distress in human beings.
The software watches not only sites visited, but even locations of the mouse clicks.
add the use of the word "lure" and it makes me think that this is, indeed, spyware.
Mongrel News all the news that fits and froths
Marketscore is part of an online market research community with over 2 million members worldwide. Marketscore relies on its members to gain valuable insight into Internet trends and behavior. In exchange for having their Internet browsing and purchasing activity observed, members have access to free email virus scanning and other benefits.
You have to draw the line of reasonableness somewhere. If that site isn't clear enough for you to understand what they do, you probably shouldn't be on the Internet (or at least not from a computer configuration you could hurt yourself with).
This tool then is cutting out the Mac and Linux users from their tracked demographic; together those users represent about 5-10% of the market. And they represent many early adopters of tech, too.
I would think that the use of a tool of this kind would be enough to skew their information, causing any results to be not credible. I certainly wouldn't use them to research products that I would sell, as I would want to be able to target Mac and Linux users as well.
--
$tar -xvf
It takes information without my knowing or permission and steals my bandwidth to send it somewhere.
I know it's not hip to RTFA, but it doesn't install without your knowing or permission. It clearly states that you will allow the program to monitor your internet usage in exchange for the free antivirus software. It's easy to uninstall and doesn't leave its hooks all over the OS.
Stealing your bandwidth? If you consent to installing it, that hardly constitutes theft.
https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere
"In exchange for having their Internet browsing and purchasing activity observed, members have access to free email virus scanning and other benefits."
If that page "tricked" you, turn off your computer now and back away.
What shall it be?
Mcaffee.. no
Norton.. no
AVG..no
Oh, wait! Here's one! Marketscore! That sounds reputable! I've never heard of them before, so they must be good, because they stay out of the "eviil media".
--end scathing sarcasm--
The people "lured" into downloading this utility should probably also have their right to vote restricted for lack of ability to critically process information.
And, by the way, if you've feel vicitmized by this software, I have news for you.. they've recently changed the definition of gullible in the dictionary.Interpret that however you please.
Symantec, for example, designates the program as spyware on its Web site.
A major antivirus company saying a free anitvirus program is spyware, that should raise a few red flags right there.
... whether people who voluntarily install their program understand that they are agreeing never to shop or bank online with decent security ever again?
It's one thing to warn someone "If you install our software, we'll monitor your net behavior".
It's entirely another thing to say "If you install our software, you'll be relying on us never to collect your credit card number, bank password, or the birthdate/mother's name information we'd need to empty your bank account ... and you're relying on us never to be hacked."
--- Attorneys Assisting Citizen-Soldiers & Families -
This is going to nuke my karma to all Hell, but what the hey...
/. to stop them? If you're concerned about web privacy, don't download it, but it's not like they're trying to trick anyone here.
A lot of Slashdotters are, as usual, not RTFA/web page in question and assuming that this is the usual spyware trick of clandestinely trojanised software pretending to be a legitimate tool - allow me to explain;
The word 'lure' used in the summary is a loaded term - it implies (in the context the editors used) that they are somehow using this free AntiVirus tool as a means of covertly installing spyware - This company is simply offering a free antivirus product if you accept the *up front agreement* that their little utility can spy on your web browsing habits - they're not doing anything clandestine here, they're just offering their service to you for free, so they can sell the results on to advertisers to recoup costs;
From the company's website:
In exchange for having their Internet browsing and purchasing activity observed, members have access to free email virus scanning and other benefits.
This is just a new way of offering a product - "here, you can have this for free, but in exchange you've got to give us stuff we can sell to our avertisers" (though they promise not to sell personal info, so presumably they'll just be selling 'web trends' data) or rather, it's the same way that a lot of so-called 'adware' operates, only they're rarely this up-front.
Sure, it's spyware, but the text above is located right on their front page, is in easily-understandable English, and is not hidden, obscured of obfusicated in any way - if people want to give their permission for Marketscore to monitor their browsing in exchange for free software, who are
Dealing with lawyers would be a lot less tedious if they all looked like Casey Novak.
I eat pork chops. I eat steak. I treat my wife with respect. I do all of these things in public. Why the hell should anyone cower before the commandments of a religion that is not their own? Don't assume that Christians are the majority on /.
Censorship is telling a man he can't have a steak just because a baby can't chew it. --Mark Twain
I know most people don't make an issue of it, but it _is_ still a commandment, and it _is_ distressing for some of us to see.
First of all, *if* god gave us free will, who gave you the right to complain about how and when we use that free will? If he wants to use god's name in vain then that's his god-given right. Get over it. If you don't want to see things that offend you, maybe you should stick to Christian Safe sites. Don't try to force us to curb our speech/actions based YOUR beliefs.
Secondly, where is the commandment that says not to use the word god/God? Oh I see, you mean this one: "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord they God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain".
I hate to have to be the one to tell you this but 'God' isn't god's name. 'God/the Lord' is the substitute that the translators of the bible used to keep people from saying god's name, which is actually 'Yaweh'. They could have just as easily used "snickerdoodle".
If you are going to follow the faith of a pointless mythology, you might as well learn it properly. Sheesh.
Ender-
PS. Thank you for instigating my first ever religious flame/troll post in 14 years of BBS/Internet useage. Too bad you're anonymous.
Nothing to see here