Apparently No One Wanted To Buy Claria's Adware/Spyware Remains

from the so-it-seems dept

Tue, Jun 20th 2006 11:40pm — Mike Masnick

Claria, which began its life as Gator, one of the earliest of the annoying surreptitious install adware providers tried to make a big splash over the last few months, moving away from the popup business and into the "behavioral marketing" business (conveniently avoiding the fact that the behavioral part was gleaned from those surreptitious, often unwanted, installs). Earlier this year, they announced triumphantly that they were launching a web portal and shedding the pop-up adware business (again avoiding the software that monitors your behavior bit). It was also noteworthy that they were supposedly trying to sell the GAIN adware platform, rather than just shut it down. For a company that supposedly admitted that popup adware was a bad thing, to then sell it off for money so others could keep doing it seemed a little questionable. So, while other adware players are merging incompetently, it looks like Claria can't even sell off its adware business. The company has alerted users that they will stop receiving popups as of July 1st, though the company will keep monitoring all their surfing habits through October 1st (which makes you wonder why the company thought it had a case in threatening anyone who called their app spyware -- it clearly monitors behavior and sends it back to the company). Still, we have to ask, is there anyone out there who will actually be upset to learn that Claria will no longer pollute their surfing experience with popup ads?

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14 Comments

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Alex Austin (profile), 21 Jun 2006 @ 12:12am

Popup ads are good.
They're a convienient reminder of things I need to do (Run Spybot, Ad-Aware, etc) and technologies to keep on top of (and off my customers' computers).
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zoso, 21 Jun 2006 @ 1:36am

or just run firefox and be safe :D
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- Just Me, 21 Jun 2006 @ 5:36am
  
  Re: Firefox
  Certainly Firefox (Opera, Linx, etc.) are much better at blocking unwanted behavior than the alternative, but I would not necessarily call them 100% effective. Every once in awhile I still manage to get new windows popping up with a blipvert, even though I have full shields and it is configured to not allow pops and open new windows as a tab.
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  - Erik M, 22 Jun 2006 @ 11:21am
    
    Re: Re: Firefox
    Sadly, the main reason why Firefox is not so vulnerable to malware is that it is not nearly as popular as Internet Exploder...at least not yet. If Firefox had half the browser market share, you'd better believe they'd have a lot more trouble with malicious software than they do.
    
    It's a bit like the old "Macs NEVER get viruses" argument. They don't get them because most virus writers don't waste time creating viruses that will only affect a relatively small percentage of computers in use. Malware/Spyware/Adware writers are pretty much of the same mind. They want to hit the most users humanly possible, so they write their garbage for Windows PCs and Internet Exploder.
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Jack, 21 Jun 2006 @ 4:20am

Good - Claria *is* spyware.
Several years ago before spyware and adware removal became mainstream, Claria's Gator spyware was definitely one of the most annoying, invasive, and stealthy spyware out there. It installed without user intervention and by all means, invaded your PC and computing experience. I'm glad Claria has finally decided to do the right thing and get rid of Gator. Unfortunately, this is too little too late. If I had my way, the company should be shut down for illegally installing software on computers in a very much automated-hacker style.

Bad Claria, Bad.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2006 @ 5:32am

Why is it not illegal to produce spy/ad/malware? There is not a single good thing that comes from it. In fact all it can do it transmit your information across the internet, leave your system vulerable to attack, and can ultimately ruin your PC. Some people (obviously people that make these malicious softwares) try to akin it to junk mail. Well junk mail doesn't have to potential to ruin your mail box. Just take out of your mail box and throw it away, thats it.
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- ehrichweiss, 21 Jun 2006 @ 8:59am
  
  Re:
  "Why is it not illegal to produce spy/ad/malware? There is not a single good thing that comes from it."
  
  There's a strange parallel between what you say there and the DEA's drug scheduling system. Schedule I drugs are described as "having no benefit whatsoever". The only problem is the idiots scheduled marijuana and LSD under Schedule I along with heroin, methamphetamine and crack cocaine so if we were to schedule software, the monkeys who write and ratify the laws would undoubtedly schedule Linux along with adware/spyware.
  
  Good point though.
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Mr. K., 21 Jun 2006 @ 7:07am

Intrusive ads ruin the internet
The negative effects of adware, spyware, etc. aren't limited to just the user's computer. It taints their whole experience of the web. They feel a loss of control over their own computer. The problem has gotten so bad that people are reluctant to try new software for fear of getting ads or viruses. It's holding back progress. So I have no sympathy for Claria (Gator) and even their attempt to whitewash their image is just pathetic, marketing trickery - strangely appropriate for a maker of adware.
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Panic, 21 Jun 2006 @ 9:47am

umm, how does LSD have a benefit? I understand your point about marijuana being schedule I, but LSD has no medicinal purpose...
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- Anonymous of Course, 21 Jun 2006 @ 10:28am
  
  Re: Groovy
  Bah!
  
  LSD showed some promise for use in
  therapy for mental disease and for
  research in understanding mechanisms
  of the brain. It was also used to help
  terminally ill people cope with their
  impending demise among other
  possible benefits.
  
  Heroin isn't much different than morphine.
  
  Meth was used as a diet pill and was once
  an ingrediant in contact cold capsules.
  
  Even crack cocaine could be useful in some
  circumstances.
  
  As mister Lillly said a drug without any side-effects
  isn't much of a drug.
  
  I have mixed feelings on this, people shouldn't
  abuse drugs but the cure (the war on drugs) is
  worse than the disease.
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Tommy Jefferson, 21 Jun 2006 @ 12:16pm

If altering your brain chemistry and conciousness are illegal, alcohol should be banned. I can find no medicinal value for that intoxicant.

Promote liberty and personal responsibility.
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jeff, 21 Jun 2006 @ 12:28pm

anyway
back to claria, i'd buy it for 20 bucks as a sort of museum piece, kinda like how there're nazi/ss museums.
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Joshua McLaughlin, 21 Jun 2006 @ 2:45pm

Quit surfing crap sites. It's the best way to keep spy,ad,malware and unfunny animated e-cards far-flung away from your system.

Also, quit forrwarding dim-witted rubbish from your e-mail. Trust me, people don’t enjoy receiving enormously untrue garbage that’s been fact check by an ape and requires the intelligence of a grease stain to deem as fact.

I love you grandma but enough is enough!
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jhRrPowq43, 5 Jul 2006 @ 3:52pm

jhRrPowq43
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