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Is Yahoo Actively Supporting Adware?

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the things-we-hate dept.

conq writes "According to BusinessWeek, a report said Yahoo was actively supporting the companies that spawn pop-up ads. In early September, Yahoo engineer Jeremy D. Zawodny sounded off on his blog: "Do I like those [software installation] practices? Hell no. It's insulting and disrespectful."" update the story submission takes Jeremy out of context which he blogs about and says mean things about us.

4 of 176 comments (clear)

  1. Jeremys post in question.. by grazzy · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://jeremy.zawodny.com/blog/archives/005121.htm l

  2. More evil? by BoldAC · · Score: 5, Informative
    Yahoo in the past has bundled their toolbar with flash and other products. They charge to get inclusion into their infamous directory. Now, they are becoming more linked with spyware?

    Yahoo is doing other evil stuff as well:


    By accepting Yahoo's "typical" installation of YIM with Voice, it will also download Yahoo's Search Toolbar with anti-spyware and anti-pop-up software, desktop and system tray shortcuts, as well as Yahoo Extras, which will insert Yahoo links into the Internet Explorer browser. The IM client also contains "live words," which will automatically show an icon when the user highlights words online and then hyperlink to Yahoo search results, definitions or translation tools. Finally, the installation will alter the users' home page and auto-search functions to point to Yahoo by default.

    To avoid these changes, users must actively choose the "custom" installation and uncheck five boxes.


    Evil is yahoo becoming?
  3. How Yahoo Funds Spyware by bedelman · · Score: 5, Informative
    For those who are interested, see my article that (I think it's safe to say) sparked a portion of the Business Week piece:

    How Yahoo Funds Spyware

    I post screenshots and packet logs showing how Yahoo ads get syndicated into notorious spyware -- Direct Revenue, eXact Advertising, 180solutions, and some smaller players too (SideFind, Slotchbar, etc.).

  4. Re:In other news Jeremy D. Zawodny fired by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    What I don't understand is why everybody seems to blame Google for firing this guy.

    It is now a regulatory violation for public companies to release financial information early or via unapproved channels - all investors are required to have the same fair first shot at any such info. And what did this guy who got fired do? He blogged financial information early. It didn't leave Google with much choice BUT to fire him. Not very smart.