'Spyware' would be tricky to outlaw, group says

cnn ^ | 11-19-03

[steppenwolffe]

Rather than drafting narrowly targeted legislation to outlaw specific snooping tactics, Congress should establish broad online privacy rights to protect against secret online surveillance, the Center for Democracy and Technology said.

Concern about spyware has grown over the past several years as online advertisers and song-swapping networks like Kazaa have placed programs on users' computers to monitor their activity or use their computers' processors for other activities.

[Made In The USA]

"...Kazaa now offers a spyware-free version of its popular "peer to peer" software..."

Does it include a free version of the software to defend yourself against the cost of the RIAA lawsuit?

[theantiDem]

See www.pestscan.com for spyware detection. It is a free scanning software program. It came up with a dozen or so pests on my machine. Mostly from cookies, but had a couple of exe's that I could not delete.

[E Rocc]

Lavasoft Ad-Aware does a good job too.

-Eric

[martin_fierro]

The obnoxious spyware company GATOR sued PCPitstop for defamation -- for being labelled what it is.

[Cicero]

I use both AdAware AND Spybot Search & Destroy. The latter is best, because it can be configured to prevent spyware from being installed on your computer, very useful if your kids go on line with your computer. But occasionally AdAware picks up a cookie that SpyBot misses.

[ShadowAce]

It is a free scanning software program.

Linux is free, too, and nothing gets installed without me expressly installing it. Literally. As a result, there is no spyware in my linux machines.

[Made In The USA]

An important message needs to be communciated to the masses in the very least about safe PC use. This is aligned with routinely updating your virus protection. You need to check for spyware as well.

I don't believe we could legislate a solution here, though harmful spyware should be a punishable offense.

A PC user should be aware of spyware loaded on their machine, what it will do, and what loss of security or privacy it could cause.

PC users should be aware that you may get spyware loaded from the not so obvious sources. Example: My wife loaded a program to give her 100's of additional emoticons... It included 42 spyware programs. FORTY TWO!

I don't know if any were harmful, but I do know that with the financial transactions we do on the web I sure as hell don't want them on it.

[martin_fierro]

FREE PC PROTECTION: (Not an exhaustive list. Your results may vary. Void where prohibited. For entertainment purposes only. No wagering, please. Whattayawantfernuthin'.)

Alternative browsers: Mozilla Opera AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition: Free anti-viral protection Popup ad killers: Bayden Systems Popup Popper: Blocks popup ads well in MSIE Shoot the Messenger: Close that friggin' Messenger in Windows XP Spyware removers: Spywareblaster - Prevents Spyware from being installed in the first place Spybot S&D AdAware MailWasher: Good for pre-screening & bouncing SPAM Windows Update: At least install the critical ones ZoneAlarm: Excellent Firewall Test your firewall from without with ShieldsUP! Test your firewall from within with LeakTest

[steplock]

Now THAT is dangerous.

GATOR - the leader in evil spywarez - has succeeded in "legally" blackmailing a company incorporated to protect innocent computer users from unwanted and INVASIVE spyware programs such as GATOR.
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/internet/ecommerce/0,39020372,39117476,00.htm

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