Spyware Still Harming Consumers, Web Advertisers
Harvard University spyware expert Ben Edelman says the most pernicious players are trying to clean up their images in the wake of recent FTC crackdowns, but the programs' core designs are unchanged. "They still track user behavior, still send browsing to their central servers, and still show pop-up ads -- behaviors users rightly disfavor due to serious effects on privacy and productivity," he wrote on his Web site this week.
The programs also continue to interfere with the legitimate business of Web ads, he said. In particular, Edelman's research shows that some vendors are overcharging affiliate merchants -- especially by claiming commission on organic traffic that the companies would have received anyway. Edelman posted a detailed article presenting six specific examples, followed by analysis and strategies for enforcement.
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