Zango is in the news again.
The Register: Zango’s adware fox desperate to guard net henhouse
Last month, it asked the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider a decision by a lower-court judge that held Kaspersky was immune from such lawsuits.
Sunbelt Blog:
Zango partnerships
Zango reacts to Sunbelt blog posts
PCMag: Must You Install Zango?
Ben Edelman commented at PCmag and Sunbelt:
Why do people continue to distrust Zango? Because Zango’s continued actions deserve distrust. Four specific examples:
1) Zango continues to run “fake user interface” ads that are disguised to look like Windows message boxes. Example. These ads continue to this day.
2) Zango continues to install its software without unavoidable, prominent disclosure of material terms. Example. Zango’s settlement with the FTC requires improved disclosure. To my surprise, Zango claims the FTC settlement doesn’t require such disclosure for “heritage Hotbar products”. But the FTC settlement’s plain language specifically applies to “any software program” Zango installs or downloads — offering no “Hotbar exception.” Quotes, citations, and further analysis.
3) Zango continues to defraud online advertisers, including by showing pop-ups that claim affiliate commissions Zango did nothing to earn. Last spring I wrote up a few examples. It’s easy to find many more. Indeed, my Automated Spyware Tester catches dozens of such examples per month.
4) Zango touts its video offerings, which include widespread videos infringing on copyrights held by others. Zango has no proper basis to hold these videos in its library, or to use them as bait to attract users to install Zango’s software.
This is all in the present, not the past. And these scams — fake user interfaces, ineffective installation disclosures that fall short of settlement obligations, defrauding advertisers, and infringing others’ copyrights — are good reasons for users to “distrust” Zango (or worse!)
Certifiedbug: Zango tags.
The beat goes on…..
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