Spyware - Should It Be Illegal?

[iMartin]

Think of it this way, what does spyware do? It invades your privacy! It sends out private information such as what websites you've visted, how long you've been connected to certain sites, etc..And most the the time, it does this without you even knowing about it. That's exactly what trojans do, an invasion of privacy. Now, excuse me, but isn't that sort of stuff illegal? What do you guys think?

[tesco]

well, it would be nice, but there would be a lot less free software out there if that hapened...

[S!X]

yea that shit should be ileagal.If you were to buy some item off the internet and were using your credit card and had a key logger on your comp(spyware keylogger) you'd be so fucked it wouldnt be funny.

[peat moss]

Originally posted by ROSSCO_2004@7 July 2004 - 21:00
well, it would be nice, but there would be a lot less free software out there if that hapened...

A choice would be nice . Let me decide to support the author thru spyware or not. A lot of programs do not allow that.

[Rip The Jacker]

Originally posted by ROSSCO_2004@7 July 2004 - 21:00
well, it would be nice, but there would be a lot less free software out there if that hapened...

I'm pretty sure most people wouldn't use software that contains spyware... even if it was free.

Yes it should be illegal. There is a ton of software online with spyware, like its no big deal. Something should be done...

[sparsely]

Originally posted by Rip The Jacker+7 July 2004 - 23:18--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Rip The Jacker &#064; 7 July 2004 - 23:18)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-ROSSCO_2004@7 July 2004 - 21:00
well, it would be nice, but there would be a lot less free software out there if that hapened...

I&#39;m pretty sure most people wouldn&#39;t use software that contains spyware... even if it was free.

Yes it should be illegal. There is a ton of software online with spyware, like its no big deal. Something should be done... [/b][/quote]
he&#39;s right though....
a lot of the free software we have is available mainly because the creator(s) have been paid to bundle an advertisers application with theirs.
Having the option to skip the installation of these components (as in msgplus&#33 is a thoughtful touch, but some developers aren&#39;t that considerate.
I feel that the end-user should always be aware that third-party componenets are being installed with the app.
and programs should install nothing to the statup list, systray, desktop, quicklaunch bar, or start menu unless explicitly given permission.

though there&#39;s a line that many spyware programs cross, that&#39;s really more virus-like than anything else. These should simply be shut down.
But I&#39;ve made plenty of good money fixing people&#39;s computers that are nothing more than exteremly spyware-infested.
It all makes a circle, and in the end, I guess it&#39;s like kinda like termites. We hate em, they&#39;re descrutive, but they create jobs.

[iMartin]

But, what I think the lowest of low is, when if someone takes the spyware, or 3rd party software out of another application, they dare call that illegal, or, Copy Right Infrigment. (Such as KaZaA to K-Lite) That my friends, is shit.

[sparsely]

I see your point, and infer a reference to Kazaa Media Desktop...but I can&#39;t say I agree with you completely, though I&#39;d like to.
In the case of KMD and similar applications, the spyware was actually built into the program itself.
Being a copyrighted application, it&#39;s still technically against the law to violate the creators copyright by modifying and redistrbuting it.

Not that I agree with that, I think open-source anything is the best way to go...
and copyright really shouldn&#39;t (in my opinion) be considered breached unless it&#39;s been redistributed at a profit to the infringers (such as some versions of Kazaalite).
Persecuting those who make no profit from it (even put much of their own money into it) just demonstrates the original authors greed, and makes for bad feelings all around.

[firefox]

I think it is a big pain, but a lot of free software that uses it, If you take the time to really read all the stuff during the install it tells you it is going to install it and you have to agree to it in order for it to install, or it tells you that by you installing this software you agree with it. So in a way you are telling them it is ok so therefore it is hard to prove it was illegal. B)

[Ariel_001]

Originally posted by firefox@8 July 2004 - 12:10
I think it is a big pain, but a lot of free software that uses it, If you take the time to really read all the stuff during the install it tells you it is going to install it and you have to agree to it in order for it to install, or it tells you that by you installing this software you agree with it. So in a way you are telling them it is ok so therefore it is hard to prove it was illegal. B)

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.