Spyware - Should It Be Illegal?

[AcID ZeR0]

They should at least class spyware into two classes and make class A illegal, That way KaZaa can continue to flog their dying p2p software to n00bs who haven't heard of Bittorent, mIRC, Overnet etc.

B: Pop-ups etc...
A: Keyloggers, Tracking Software

Edit: I just saw a news report, One in three computers has some sort of spyware on it

[firefox]

Originally posted by Ariel_001@8 July 2004 - 10:22

I myself just refuse to download/install and use/has any Spyware or/and adware. I don`t like crap and ads. We see enough crap in our everyday lives and my computer is some of the few places where marketing groups don’t try to control my mind.

I agree with you, I do not install this stuff as well, I make plenty of money off other people who installed it and then come to me for PC repairs.

[delphin460]

knowledge is you freind

as ppl have said b4 , in most cases you should read and know what you are installing, ignorance is no excuse, you have only yourself to blame if you install software containing such things, read the info b4 installing and if you realy want the software , then deal with the spyware/ adware or learn how to remove it and still keep the program running

i have not found anything yet which i can not disable or remove these things and still keep the assioated program running

Just use best security precatuions and keep windows updated to the max , as well as your antivirus software and firwall, and you should never have any problems

i have windows xp running on this comp for 18 months now and with the correct precaution i have had no problems

As far as computers go ignorance is not bliss, its just a fool paridise, read , learn and impliment

[iMartin]

I just got back from a friends a couple of days ago, and he has one of the nicest computer I've ever seen, but he doesn't know anything about computers. And I mean, this computer had so much spyware on it, it completey fried his computer, when he connected to the internet, it wouldn't get an IP for him to use! I think it's just the computer illiterate people that have the most trouble.

[Chame1eon]

Originally posted by ROSSCO_2004@8 July 2004 - 00:00
well, it would be nice, but there would be a lot less free software out there if that hapened...

i agree maybe some don't mind the trade off, but they shouldn't hide the fact by putting it in places where a lot of people don't look. maybe people should read the priviacy polocies, but it's strill not right to hide that information there if you know that people probably won't see it.

[{I}{K}{E}]

Should it be illegal?

Should people read the Lisence agreement?


Its all in the reading before installing...


I know its a pain in the ass but people make alot of money from it because I think more then 50% of the people that have it installed dont even know they have it or what it is

[ObiWan]

I think it depends on the what the spyware is and how its distributed.
Ads that are installed are ok provided that the user is clearly informed before it is installed.

but data miners, and browser-hijackers that are silently installed from IE should be illegal as your not told that its there.

I recently installed ad-aware at college and there was 800+ pieces of spyware on the machine and it hadn't even been updated

[iMartin]

Originally posted by ObiWan@8 July 2004 - 13:27
...but data miners, and browser-hijackers that are silently installed from IE should be illegal as your not told that its there.

Exactly. Who cares if you're told that it's there though? It's still going to give out personal information that you might not want other people knowing about. But things such as Ads in their programs, I usually don't have a problem with that, seeing that it will be removed later on one way or another.

[peat moss]

Originally posted by {I}{K}{E}@8 July 2004 - 11:09
Should it be illegal?

Should people read the Lisence agreement?


Its all in the reading before installing...


I know its a pain in the ass but people make alot of money from it because I think more then 50% of the people that have it installed dont even know they have it or what it is

Msn plus is a good point .The one by patchou .

[iMartin]

I think devolpers should either start doing what Patchou did, or do something like FlashGet did, if you want to use it free, then there is an Ad in the program it's self, or, you can pay a small fee for a un-aded one. Or you can just do what I did and use a keygen...