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Anti-Malware Maker Files Lawsuit Over Bad Review (csoonline.com)

Posted by timothy on from the hearts-and-minds dept.

itwbennett writes: In a lawsuit filed January 8, 2016, Enigma Software, maker of anti-malware software SpyHunter, accuses self-help portal Bleeping Computer of making 'false, disparaging, and defamatory statements.' At issue: a bad review posted by a user in September, 2014. The lawsuit also accuses Bleeping Computer of profiting from driving traffic to competitor Malwarebytes via affiliate links: 'Bleeping has a direct financial interest in driving traffic and sales to Malwarebytes and driving traffic and sales away from ESG.' Perhaps not helping matters, one of the first donations to a fund set up by Bleeping Computer to help with legal costs came from Malwarebytes.

9 of 163 comments (clear)

  1. Streisand effect? by JosKarith · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I get the feeling Enigma are gonna regret this - looking at the article they're suspected of several "sharp" practices already. Publicity is unlikely to be their friend.

    --
    'Don't worry' said the trees when they saw the axe coming, 'The handle is one of us.'
    1. Re:Streisand effect? by arbiter1 · · Score: 1, Insightful

      if "bleeping computers" does give a bad review to 1 maleware software and one they say is good is paying them $ for the traffic. They do have an argument in this that site in question is acting biased in their review. As you said Publicity of people looking for unbiased reviews of software doesn't look good for them if that is the case of them getting paid for referring people to 1 over software over another. In business of a reviewer, your reputation of being unbiased is everything.

    2. Re:Streisand effect? by EzInKy · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Agreed, filing suit just publicizes the fact that their software was found lacking by reviewers. This company is toast and well deserves to be. The only logical proof they can provide against claims of their softwares ineffectiveness a demonstration of its effectiveness.

      --
      Time is what keeps everything from happening all at once.
    3. Re:Streisand effect? by NotDrWho · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Yeah, I've never heard of "SpyHunter," but I'm pretty sure that this story is going to be one of the first things that pops up when anyone searches for it for now on. And no way would I ever, fucking ever, install software from a company suing over bad reviews. It just looks awful.

      --
      SJW's don't eliminate discrimination. They just expropriate it for themselves.
    4. Re:Streisand effect? by omnichad · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Libel/defamation isn't rooted in bias. It's knowingly false information being spread intentionally. You can have all the paid people you want saying how great you are and telling of the things legitimately wrong with your competitors and never have a problem.

      They aren't in the business of being an unbiased reviewer. They're in the business of helping people get their infected computers cleaned up. And for that you need working tools.

    5. Re:Streisand effect? by ITRambo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Spyware Hunter is a poor, if not terrible, program. Malwarebytes is superior, being more effective. It's too bad that Enigma can't handle the truth, chooses to sue bleepingcomputer.com instead of improving their product. Such assholes.

  2. Can't have a opinion anymore by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    Its sad that you can't have a opinion anymore if it hurts someone's feelings. I see nothing wrong with Bleeping computer endorsing one anti virus over another.
    We all have opinions on which one is better. Malwarebytes is a free program anyway although I guess they have a paid version. You can always tell a desperate company when they start to take up legal actions.

  3. Dear Enigma by MitchDev · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Thanks to your anti-free speech actions, I will NEVER use your software and will recommend others avoid your products and services as well.

  4. Re:Why is there still an "anti-malware" market? by sremick · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Didn't Windows Defender kill off the "anti-malware" market?

    No, because Windows Defender sucks.

    Does anyone really still run things like "Symantec" or "McAfee"?

    Only naive new-computer buyers who get it pre-installed and roll with that because of the name-recognition. The rest of us run something that doesn't suck. Symantec/Norton and McAfee are bloated messes that bog down the computer and hardly catch anything. Defender is just a hidden useless product that also doesn't catch much of anything. There are plenty of worthwhile programs out there however that catch a lot and definitely do help to address this very real problem.