The first time I experienced it, I thought, "Some bastard
has hacked into my web server and changed my code!" I clicked
on View Source and saw that the HTML code hadn't been changed
at all. So what happened?
Well, it all has to do with greed and people ignoring principles
of common decency. Let me explain ...
The fall of Napster has led to the rise of several copycat file-swapping
programs. And the makers of some of these music-sharing programs
are out to cash in by any means necessary. A year ago, while the
dot-com industry was hitting the skids, Napster was drawing millions
of young Net users and getting tons of media exposure. Once Napster
got tangled up in court battles and cut off most of the brand-name
MP3 files available through its service, marketers started salivating
at the prospect of tapping into Napster's audience.
Two of the most popular new file-swapping programs are iMesh
and KaZaa. Since you're a savvy music lover, you may have already
downloaded one of these programs. What you probably didn't know
was that you were also downloading plug-ins that came bundled
with the program -- plug-ins you didn't ask for.
One of these plug-ins is called TopText (made by a company called
eZula). If you have it, as you surf the Web using Internet Explorer
4.0 or higher, you'll notice that certain words have a bold yellow
underline. Click on the yellow link and you'll be taken to the
site of an advertiser that has paid eZula to insert these links
on unsuspecting web sites.
That's how I first learned about it. I was looking at a page
on my www.TheBuzzFactor.com site that promotes my audiotape on
how to make money in the music business. I was shocked when I
saw annoying yellow lines under words like "finance."
Clicking the link took me to the site of a company offering Visa
credit cards. I was pissed!
Once I figured out these links were being created by the TopText
plug-in, I realized that anyone who had TopText on their computer
would see these evil links when they were on my site. And a lot
of people have it. According to CNet's Download.com, iMesh has
been downloaded 15.8 million times, and KaZaa 10.2 million times.
And that's just from CNet's site.
This practice is unconscionable! Like me, you work hard to design
your web site and get lots of fans to visit it. Once there, you
want visitors to focus on you and the musical benefits you offer.
But with lowlife scumware like TopText, your musical identity
is tarnished and your web traffic is hijacked by these unscrupulous
marketers.
On top of that, deleting TopText from your hard drive is not
easy. Doing a simple Uninstall often leaves a file on your computer
that can reinstall TopText the next time you launch Internet Explorer.
In other words, this piece-of-crap plug-in is a dangerous combination
of spam and virus rolled into one.
What's also unfortunate is that this spam-virus is being spread
primarily my music-related programs. The music industry already
has enough of a negative reputation. We don't need this to make
things even uglier.
I encourage you to be proactive, learn more about this scam and
take steps to help obliterate it. Here are some other info sources
you should look into:
* Jim Wilson's scumware.com -- one of the best sites dedicated
to the subject.
* Author Mike Alexander wrote two great articles that explain
the virus and offer resources to combat TopText and other contextual-advertising
programs. Read them at 101answers.com/warnings or get them by
autoresponder by sending a blank e-mail to ezula1@101answers.com
and ezula2@101answers.com.
* Read the article "Forget Smart Tags; TopText Is Doing What
You Feared" at searchenginewatch.com/sereport/01/08-toptext.html
* CNet's "Peer-to-Peer Exchanges Court Advertisers"
explains exactly how iMesh and KaZaa are trying to cash in: news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-6759036.html
* Steve Shubitz of stopscum.com covers what he calls TheftWare,
including other offending companies such as Gator and Surf+.
* Paul Myers wrote an article titled "Who Owns Your Business?"
To get it, just send a blank e-mail to linktheft@talkbiz.com.
* Check to see if you have TopText or Surf+ on your computer here:
whirlywiryweb.com/q/ezulasurf.asp. This site also provides free
scripts you can install on your pages to let your visitors know
if they have the scumware.
* Here are some articles that explain how to uninstall TopText:
scumware.com/user3.html
whirlywiryweb.com/removeezula.htm
ahfb2000.com/ezula/ezula.php
* Find out how to install a free script on your pages that prevents
TopText and Surf+ from working: searchking.com/ezulakiller
* Take Back the Web is another site that warns people about scumware:
takebacktheweb.com/
* "Web Sites Prey on Rivals' Stores" covers the scumware
practices of Gator: news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-6797640.html
* Sunil Tanna discusses scumware and suggests actions you can
take: suniltanna.com/ezula.html
* There's an online petition to eradicate TopText. Sign it here:
petitiononline.com/toptext
Bottom line: Don't continue to use programs that inexcusably sneak
these plug-ins onto your hard drive. It's hard enough to market
your music online without having to deal with scoundrels who deface
web sites they have no business touching!
-Bob Baker
Bob Baker is the author of "Poor Richard's Branding Yourself
Online,"
"The Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook" and "Ignite
Your Creative Passion."
Visit http://www.bob-baker.com/ for free self-promotion tips.
Special
TopText & Surf+ UpDate 11/02/04
We have discovered that there are Contextual Advertising
Links which look very similar to TopText & Surf+ links
which are legitimate and sponsored by participating web
sites for more information
click here! |
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For more information on new developments regarding KaZaa see
our articles:
Concerns about KaZaa Media Desktop &
Gnutella File Sharing
Network User Alerts
Consumers
These new programs effect you since they use spyware to do their
dirty work -- please check out our Consumer
Info section for more information on spyware and how to protect
your privacy!
WebMasters & Web Site Owners
Don't forget to check out our WebMaster Info to find out
how to protect your web sites from these new advertising threats!
(Additional note: GoZilla, Limewire, Bearshare, and Audiogalaxy
also include spyware & theftware programs such as Gator, TopText,
Cydoor and SaveNow! For more information see our
Help & Reference Guide)
Additional Featured Articles
Children's Online File Swapping
Often Yields Porn
Peer to Peer File Sharing Nets Trojan
Horse!
Is Gator Highjacking Your Banner Ads?
Microsoft & Others Still Implementing
Smart Tags
Ethics in Advertising
The Dirty Little Secret About KaZaa and iMesh
Mystery links New Web advertising
tool gets results, draws criticism
Screen grab Web designers complain
new ad programs hijack their sites
Outrage spreads over "scumware"
Spyware: Do You Know Who’s Watching
You?
Fight Guest Book and Public Forum
Spam!
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