"It is just a marketing tool that we use," said Expedia spokesman David Dennis. - A line quoted in a well known daily, as I read it on my computer screen, while researching for material for this article, a pop-up flashed up, enticing me to get in touch with women residing in, and around my area, who wanted to be my "friends"(???!!!!!!!!), maybe more!!!!
While reading the pop-up, my anti-spyware resident shield, trying to be a hero, who saves the day, flashed another message across my screen, stating that a spyware was being installed on my PC while I was browsing the said site, or should I say sight!
Almost everybody I know has had the displeasure of experiencing a blitzkrieg of pop ups, while browsing online. Spyware, and its lighting fast ad delivering derivative, Adwares, are used by Advertising and Marketing research firms, which are being hired by extremely well known Fortune 500 companies, inconveniencing customers and causing prospective consumers to estrange themselves, from the same companies and thier brands using these spywares/adwares.
The usage of spyware and adware, which reside on the users computers, without their full knowledge, by such companies is rather annoying, and even more disturbing. Few disappointed consumers have contacted these companies, asking them to discontinue the usage of these spywares/adwares.
While some companies do bother to discontinue, most state that they are using just another "marketing tool" and some just keep on using them, without any comments consideration about the consumer.
While most of these Fortune 500 companies like Mercedes-Benz, Vonage Corp., etc, acknowledge the use of adwares for advertising their offerings right on your computer screens, they fail to notice the effects of such malware on us (the consumers) and our PCs, leaving us bitter, and our PC's prone to security threats, the biggest one being information theft and information monitoring. Some spywares/adwares are so difficult to remove and get rid off, that the experience makes affected consumers detest such brands, having an entirely averse effect.
These spywares/adwares are not just being used by advertising biggies, but also by big corporations like Yahoo Inc., which uses third party transmitters providing search listing in their malware toolbars, like Hotbar, etc.
A very noticeable fact is that law enforcement is mostly holding transmitters responsible, like Intermix Media Inc. agreeing to a $7.5 million payment as settlement of a lawsuit filed by one E. Spitzer. Spitzer is taking his battle to the doors of various advertisers, who cite that they work with third party contractors and are completely unaware of them employing such methods.
Anti-spyware and adware bills are being approved by numerous states across the US, some getting approved and implemented by the US House.
Gradually some companies, feeling ashamed, are dropping the idea of using such trickery by getting on to the personal computers of consumers.
