In the computer into a compact disc, the software will be quietly through the network to report you are to watch the content, it was like an alien contact with its carrier. Such software belongs to a spy? Not necessarily. Here the “carrier” is Microsoft, and the software is Windows Media Player.
For some privacy advocates concerned, Windows Media Player behavior in some ways and spy one, it shows that such a basic question: in the determination of the spy a identity have difficulty, it is more difficult to fight them.
Sly is a spy
Opponents Office 2010 said, any secret software can be labeled as spy a label, the software for certain purposes in the user without the knowledge of the user in the running on your computer. Electronic mail, use the Internet investigation connection or steal account material of malicious software belongs to spy parts, it do not have any arguments.
But when the danger is not obvious ━ ━ for example record when the user Internet behavior, release targeted advertising spy pieces, for such is the code to belong to spy things over there. Opponents said, like a spy, advertising a also because the user error or be deceived ━ ━ for example the download to click is mistaken for “safety warning” software or accidentally to visit a malicious web site. Advertising a quietly to collect user surfing habits, cause the computer performance dropped substantially, or even collapse, and to remove them very difficult.
Better advertising?
Advertising a manufacturer counterattack says, they just use technology more clever sent advertising, and consumers are willing to receive these ads, because they want to get in exchange of the game or entertainment content, or just no reason to like these ads.
Be caught in the middle is like Kevin such ordinary users. He never intentionally received any download software, but in its have been used for 3 years in the computer but filled with a large puzzling of software, the computer has almost paralyzed, he is going to out of it. Despite the broadband connection, but he was hardly web browsing and email. He says, just open a computer, have not even before the connect to the Internet, will see a lot of advertising.
Kevin can’t tell the difference between a spy and advertising parts, or difference between different advertising pieces, and advertising a developer claims that this difference is crucial, their efforts paid off. The United States in May to the house passed a anti-spyware a bill, if be users voluntarily received, and advertising is a legitimate, but it also explicitly stipulated the some banned functions, such as it is difficult to unload.
Advertising a developer also request development spy a uninstalling software companies are no longer think that their software is dangerous, or completely don’t mention them. Symantec’s product manager Craig said, when using computer or symantec found steal personal data software, realized it is dealt with different type of threat. He said people had been accustomed to anti-virus world of black and white, spy a and advertising a belong to gray areas.
Some privacy advocates said, spy a and advertising a commercial personal computer is the latest example invasion. Electronic privacy information center, the director of the west coast’s Jill Windows Media Player will is also referred to as the “gray software”. Microsoft said it, online report to users with their function is to watch the DVD of information, not collect any personal data, and this function can be closed. Hoff, Jill said, every Windows Media Player has a unique serial code. Install Windows Media Player, is to give their computer make the number.
