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The Plot To Hijack Your Hard Drive

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the avast-me-harties-pop-ups-rollin-in-from-the-south dept.

An anonymous reader writes Business Week Online examines the business practices of spammers and pop-up advertisers, using much-maligned Direct Revenue as an example case. The article discusses the history of the company, their rocky road through good and bad times, and what they're willing to to get your eyes on their ads." From the article: "Among Direct Revenue's alumni, pride over technical cunning mingles with regret for exasperating so many computer users. After waffling on the issue during a long interview, one former Dark Arts wizard sighs and sums up his version of the company credo with an elegiac observation by abolitionist Frederick Douglass: 'Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them.'"

3 of 181 comments (clear)

  1. Here's how to stop it... by gasmonso · · Score: 5, Informative

    Complain to the companies that advertise with these methods. If you see an ad for Delta airlines, write them a letter complaining. Bitching to the advertising company is useless because they don't care... they're getting paid from someone else. Now the companies advertising through them are getting paid from you... and they will listen eventually.

    Also, use a router, firewall software, Antivirus, and Firefox. Haven't any issues ever.

    http://religiousfreaks.com/
    1. Re:Here's how to stop it... by andrewman327 · · Score: 4, Informative

      Believe it or not, companies really do read their snail mail. I have gotten more for my $0.39 than I ever could have gotten through e-mail or even telephone calls. If you feel passionately about this, e-mail me. I am interested in starting a group to pressure people to stop advirtising this way.

      --
      Information wants a fueled airplane waiting at the hangar and no one gets hurt.
  2. Who buys this stuff? by ZachPruckowski · · Score: 5, Informative

    I mean, I think the real problem is that people will buy stuff from ads that randomly pop-up on their computer. And worse, those ads are the most effective kind?? I mean, if we could get people to wise up and not purchase sketchy stuff from spam or adware, then evil companies would stop making it.