Many web surfers have been expressing a great deal on annoyance
and frustration about the excessive use of pop-up
advertisements on the internet. Most of their anger is being
expressed towards the webmasters and the owners of the web sites,
however their anger might be misdirected toward the wrong source.
Although it is true that many web sites do
use pop-up ads to advertise specials and many belong to
banner exchange programs the vast majority of webmasters and web
site owners try to limit the amount of ads that pop up around
their web sites because they do not want to alienate their potential
customers with excessive and annoying ads.
So, where are all those pesky pop-up ads
coming from?
Believe it or not your own computer might be the culprit! This
is especially true if you or members of your family have downloaded
free or low cost software products or any of the Gnutella network
software such as Kazaa, iMesh, AudioGaxlay, Limewire, or Bearshare!
| **
Spyware & Adware Test Scan **
If you are viewing this site with Internet
Explorer and see an alert displayed here then it is an indication
that your computer is infected with one or more spyware
programs that we can scan for. If you do not see any alert
displayed in the center of this notice then our scan did
not detect any of the 122 spyware programs we can scan for,
however, there are still many other programs out there that
we can not yet scan for.
Please note: Currently
we can scan for a 122 distinct spyware programs that can
effect PC users and the alert will only be display if a
specific targeted program is identified. Unfortunately,
we are limited to finding only certain types of spyware
and there are many other forms of spyware and adware that
we can not currently test for.
In addition, our test scan does not
work well with NetScape or other browsers, if you suspect
that you might have spyware on your computer please feel
free to check this page while using Internet Explorer.
Also, if you have a Personal FireWall installed it may
interfere with our ability to scan your computer for Parasite
Adware and Spyware. |
Did you know that many spyware programs can generate
pornography on your computer?
Click here for more information!
Advertising and marketing firms support and sponsor a large
number of struggling software developers. Companies like AdGateway
by TimeSink / Conducent Technologies, Cydoor, Gator's OfferCompanion,
WhenU SaveNow, Radiate/Aureate, DoubleClick, Blackstone Data
"Transponder", Webhancer Customer Companion, Onflow
player, Web3000, and Bonzi Buddy pay software developers to
included them within the installation processes of the software.
Each of these companies financially support many of the
most popular downloadable software products.
The range and variety of the many software programs that currently
include adware components is astounding with well over 800 different
programs and the list grows every day. The known spyware software
lists encompasses every type of software imaginable from games,
screensavers, educational software, helpful utility programs,
text & image editors, and the list goes on and on. Many
times these low-cost software products include multiple advertising
bundles, each one providing you with their own "enriched
targeted media" to enhance your browsing experience!
Click here for additional
information on these developers.
Here is a list of known Freeware and Shareware
software programs that included adware or you can review our
Help Guide for additional
information.
Most of the software developed by these adware companies can
perform additional actions once installed on a users computer
which many consumers do not know about. In addition to providing
you will targeted pop up ads to drive you crazy many acknowledge
that they also monitor your surfing behavior by incorporating
additional programming which will allow them to monitor your
web surfing & buying habits so that they can transmit their
"highly targeted" ads. This monitoring can be quite
excessive and can include the transmission of highly personal
information about you. Some of you might have heard the term
"Spyware". This term applies to any ad supported software
that monitors and develops an intricate profile on consumers
with out their knowledge. Please review our Adware/Spyware
section for more in-depth information on what spyware can
do. We have a great deal of documentation on this site regarding
a number of abuses of this type of consumer monitoring behavior.
In fact a number of companies have been caught "red handed"
but unfortunately, they have not been shut down.
There have been numerous documented reports that these adware
components have even been able to install themselves even if
the user chooses to "op-out" the adware installation,
restrict the installation or even cancel the installation process.
In addition, several of these adware firms have programmed
their software to perform a number of extra and highly unethical
actions and functions. One of these adware companies has programmed
it's software so that they can actually switch the legitimate
authorized advertising of the web sites that surfers visit,
two can open a portal and assist in adding competitor links
directly on to the surface of other peoples web sites and another
has the ability to commandeer any affiliate earning commissions
that a web site might earn if a consumer decide to purchase
something from a link on the site!
Even more alarming is that at least one of these markting firms
has even found a way to remove & disable a program called
AdWare that many consumers use and install on their computers
to explicitly protect themselves against all forms of adware
and spyware.
Ad Filtering Programs
PanicWare has a an outstanding free Pop-Up Stopper. It provides
basic Ad Blocking for Internet Explorer and Netscape! Their
Pop-Up Stopper is not adware or spyware supported and is free
for personal use - no registration required! Important: Pop-Up
Stopper FREE features basic pop-up and pop-under ad blocking
technology. They also have a Cookie Manager and Web Firewall
programs.
http://www.panicware.com/
Guidescope is a highly recommended advert filter that collaboratively
shares a database of blocked adverts. Easy user interface from
within your browser allows you to notify the database of new
adverts to block. Recommended by Junkbuster. Runs on Windows,
Linux and Solaris. Free for non commercial use, and the source
code likely to be released under the GPL in the future.
http://www.guidescope.com/
WebWasher is a sophisticated advert remover. Companies use
it to remove adverts, reduce bandwidth and filter other undesirable
content. For Windows, Mac and Linux. Free for home and educational
use.
http://www.webwasher.com/
It is important to note that ad filtering programs are utilities
to simply limit or restrict the number of pop-up ads you might
view -- they are not programs for computer security. Filtering
programs primarily address the communication between the site
you are visiting and your browser. They do not monitor or restrict
any back channel communications that might take place from hidden
adware and spyware software programs that might also reside on
your computer.
| Beware
of AdProtector & Other Spyware/Adware Removal Clones
A few words of caution regarding RedV AdProtector, which
according to it's advertisements removes ad serving programs
including Gator and NetSonic.
RedV is owned by man named Gene Kavner who is in fact
the owner and developer of Web3000 & NetSonic which
are both ad intensive spyware programs and it is beleived
that RedV's EasyInsaller is just an altered repackaged version
of Web3000. (RedV EasyInstaller is included in all RedV's
products.)
It is our opinion that RedV AdProtector is a rouge "Wolf
in Sheep's Clothing" allowing Gene Kavner to not only
"cash in" with the sale of this suspicious program
by exploiting innocent consumers concerns about spyware
and adware while he continues his "dirty work"
in the background of their computers with the added bonus
of eliminating some of his competition under the disguise
of this supposed adware remover utility. http://www.isp-planet.com/services/2003/redv.html
In fact, during the past several months the internet appears
to be flooded with a number of programs claiming to be spyware
and adware removal utilities however, many of these are
just cheap knock offs who have "stolen" some of
the code of either LavaSoft or Spybot.
LavaSoft & Spybot have been leaders in the field of
spyware removal utilities programs with time tested proven
track records and are therefore the only two programs that
we currently recommend and trust. (Both of these programs
still offer free versions of their programs) |
It is our recommendation that you also take steps to fully protect
your self and your privacy by the full removal of any adware components
which might be on your computer which might be bombarding you
with ads from their sponsors. Most
of the spyware and adware programs listed here (as well as several
others not listed) can be removed with the assistance free programs
such as Ad-Aware from Lavasoftusa.com orSpybot. We recommend that users scan their computers with
both of these programs as an added precaution and update them
regularly. Both are free programs designed to remove spyware and
adware off of your computer. (Please note that most spyware
and adware programs are not detected by standard anti-virus programs
and can only be removed with reputable spyware removal programs.)
We also recommend that
after removing spyware from your computer that you permanently
protect your computer with a personal firewall such a Download ZoneAlarm Pro
or
McAfee Personal Firewall
These programs will alert you to any attempts to access your computer
while you are surfing on line as well let you know if any program
on your computer that might be attempting to send data out from
your computer without your knowledge. These are the most highly
recommended firewall programs around. It is also advised that
you use a good Anti-Virus program and keep it updated regularly.
(Macaffe Internet Security is reported
to have the capability of also restricting access to pornography
on the Gnutella Network.)
Written by Debbie St.Clair
UnwantedLinks.com
Reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Please take a moment to write to your
congressmen about protecting your privacy and passing stronger
anti-spam laws!
There are number of new laws pending without your support they
will not get passed. Let your congressmen know that we want stronger
privacy protections. For more information see our legal
section.
Check out our article:
Spyware: Do You Know Who’s
Watching You?
This is an in-depth & documented Research Paper from California
Polytechnic State University & Computer Professionals
for Social Responsibility which demonstrates how the Radiate
spyware module can get installed without a users knowledge.
Authors: Rom Yatziv and Clark S. Turner, J.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Computer Science
California Polytechnic State University
Abstract: Radiate, like many other companies since the creation
of the Internet, is relying on advertising and user information
for its income. In this particular case, however, it is possible
that users’ rights are being circumvented, and Radiate
may be poking its nose in private places without proper authorization.
This paper looks at Radiate and its software module, and attempts
to determine whether it is spyware, based on the ACM Software
Engineering Code of Ethics.
For your convenience since this article is quite long we are
also including this article as a downloadable PDF file Spyware-Radiate.pdf
In addition, we also are including the following PDF file as
a source of additional documentation regarding Radiate/Aureate
instillation practices. Although dated Feb 2000 it demonstrates
the process that Radiate uses without notification to the user
during normal instillation processes.
Aureate Press Statement.pdf
Here are some related links:
How to subtract Internet ads before they multiply
Wendy Dittamore,
Senior Editor,
ZDNet Help & How-To
Thursday, June 28, 2001
As you know, there are all types of advertising online: banners,
pop-ups, long, short, moving ads, and so on. Another thing that's
very clear about the Internet: you can't get something for nothing.
In order to visit your favorite Web sites for free, you have
to put up with those flashy, animated messages from companies
trying to pull in some sales. Or do you?
http://www.zdnet.com/anchordesk/stories/story/
Google Denies Pop-Up Ads Are Its Fault
By Brian McWilliams, Newsbytes
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A.,
29 Jan 2002, 11:20 AM CST
Responding to complaints from users, online search giant Google.com
has joined the chorus of jeers against one of the great annoyances
of Web surfing: pop-up advertisements. In a statement linked
from the front door of the popular search site today, Google
reassured fans that it does not allow pop-up ads of any kind
on its site, which receives more than 21 million visitors per
month. A possible explanation for pop-ups at Google that has
been confirmed by the experience of some newsgroup participants,
are the ad-serving programs that come bundled with some free
software such as the BearShare and Audiogalaxy music-sharing
programs. "These tiny 'time bombs' can show pop-ups at
random intervals or based on anything you type on a Web page,"
said Google. The search company recommended using special software
to remove such "malicious" programs, and filing a
complaint about the adware with the Federal Trade Commission.
"We wish you luck in your quest to quell pop-ups,"
said Google.
http://www.newsbytes.com/news/02/174036.html
http://www.google.com/help/nopopupads.html
Protect your identity as you surf
By Neal Brandstetter
(8/14/01)
The Internet is a dangerous place, full of profiteers who sell
your personal data to information brokers and cunning criminals
who have nothing better to do than steal your Social Security
number, obtain credit cards in your name, go on spending sprees,
and ruin your credit rating. So whether you're shopping at Macys.com
or chatting with your buddies over ICQ, you'll need to take
certain precautions to keep your personal info from falling
into the wrong hands.
http://www.cnet.com/internet/0-3762-8-6796944-1.html
Web Ads, From Roach To Rich
You might hope that pop-up ads go the way of Pets.com and other
doomed dot-coms, six feet under in the Internet graveyard. But,
alas, pop-ups appear destined to survive, because some advertisers
say the darned things work.
by Leslie Walker
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36609-2002Sep18.html?referer=email
WebMasters & Web Site Owners
Many of these new forms of spyware have also found ways to
steal your web traffic. Don't forget to check out our WebMaster Info to find out
how to protect your web sites from these new advertising threats!
Please show your support by adding a link back to your site
on our Supporters page and help us raise awareness by displaying
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