by certifiedbug on February 21, 2007
in Security
Commissioner Jon Leibowitz was the sole dissenter in the FTC’s 4-1 decision against DirectRevenue and issued a separate statement.
“In this consent agreement, Commission staff obtained strong injunctive relief that will put an end to practices that allowed DirectRevenue to foist unwanted software on untold millions of consumers. But the $1.5 million in monetary relief that the Commission obtained as part of the consent agreement is a disappointment because it apparently leaves DirectRevenue’s owners lining their pockets with more than $20 million from a business model based on deceit.”
“I would rather go to trial and risk losing than settle for a compromise that makes an FTC action just a cost of doing business.”
Dissenting Statement of Commissioner Jon Leibowitz. (PDF)
The settlement statement (PDF) notes that it “does not constitute an admission that the law has been violated as alleged.”
No news there, DirectRevenue has a long history of denial and blaming affiliates.
Direct Revenue’s Dirty Documents by Ben Edelman
Federal Trade Commission
February 16, 2007
Will Give Up $1.5 Million in Ill-Gotten Gains for Unfair and Deceptive Adware Downloads
DirectRevenue LLC, a large adware distributor, and four of its principals have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they used unfair and deceptive methods to download adware onto consumers’ computers and then obstruct them from removing it, in violation of federal law. The settlement bars future downloads of DirectRevenue’s adware without consumers’ express consent and requires DirectRevenue to provide a reasonable and effective way for consumers to locate and remove the adware from their computers. The settlement also require DirectRevenue to give up $1.5 million in ill-gotten gains.
DirectRevenue’s adware infected computers worldwide,” said FTC Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras. “The FTC settlement brings unauthorized software downloads to a halt and stops DirectRevenue from sending pop-up ads to computers affected by prior unlawful downloads.
Full Article
Press release from the New York State Attorney General’s Office.
NEW YORK, NY (January 29, 2007)—Attorney General Andrew Cuomo today announced that New York has reached ground-breaking settlements with three major online advertisers for promoting products and services on the Internet through deceptively installed programs known as “adware.” The agreements, with Priceline.com Incorporated (“Priceline”), Travelocity.com LP (“Travelocity”) and Cingular Wireless LLC (“Cingular”) mark the first time law enforcement has held advertisers responsible for ads displayed through adware.
The settlements grew out of the Internet Bureau’s investigation of DirectRevenue. People of the State of New York v. Direct Revenue, LLC.
Priceline, Travelocity and Cingular, among others, were discovered to have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars delivering ads through Direct Revenue software. Not a surprise, many legitimate companies fund the proliferation of adware with their advertising dollars, despite anti-spyware activists.
Ben Edelman “Spyware”: Research, Testing, Legislation, and Suits
180solutions. direct revenue, zango
by certifiedbug on December 9, 2006
in Security
Ben Edelman and Eric Howes:
Update December 8: Our follow-up comment to the FTC discusses additional concerns, further ongoing bad practices at Zango, and the special difficulty of enforcement in light of practices seemingly not prohibited by the proposed settlement.
Additional Comments on Improper Zango Practices. (PDF)
Article
by certifiedbug on November 20, 2006
in Security
By Ben Edelman and Eric Howes
November 20, 2006
Earlier this month, the FTC announced the proposed settlement of its investigation into Zango, makers of advertising software widely installed onto users’ computers without their consent or without their informed consent (among other bad practices).
We commend the proposed settlement’s core terms. But despite these strong provisions, bad practices continue at Zango — practices that, in our judgment, put Zango in violation of the key terms and requirements of the FTC settlement.
Full article
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) fined adware purveyor ‘Zango’ (formerly 180Solutions) three million dollars for deceptive installations of Zango’s pop-up software on users computers and trying to prevent those users from uninstalling it; a violation of federal law.
FTC File No. 052 3130
For Release: November 3, 2006
Zango, Inc. Settles FTC Charges
Zango agreed to the Federal Trade Commission settlement without admitting guilt.
ReveNews reports:
Spyware researcher Ben Edelman says he has proof that Zango hasn’t really cleaned up its act and that he’ll post his proof in the coming weeks.
by certifiedbug on October 28, 2006
in Security
winhelp2002 reported an interesting list of deactivated domains.
One item in particular caught my eye.
Zango/180Solutions (Adware.180Solutions) has quietly started deactivating some of their sites
flingstone.com | n-case.net | radiopranks.com | searchbrowser.com | searchbarcash.com
Read the full article here
Check out winhelp2002’s The HOSTS File
Hosts File FAQ
by certifiedbug on July 22, 2006
in Security
spywareguide.com
July 21, 2006
Paperghost posts:
What we have here is a clear example of Bait and Switch - luring you in with one offer, only to be denied the desired item, but presented with a “substitute” at the last moment. The difference here, is that the webmaster also gets to install Smart Browser onto the PC in the process - I suppose you could call it a two for the price of one deal or a “bonus”. Even if the end-user doesn’t choose to download any Zango videos, they’ll still be receiving pop-ups (and possibly premium rate dialers) via Smart Browser.
Article and screenshots
by certifiedbug on July 18, 2006
in Security
Ben Edelman writes:
How Vonage Funds Spyware
Vonage’s Spyware-Delivered Pop-Up Ads
I have repeatedly observed Vonage buying “ordinary” spyware pop-up ads from vendors like 180solutions, Direct Revenue, and eXact Advertising. See e.g. the top thumbnail at right, a March 2006 screenshot of a Vonage ad appearing through Direct Revenue. See also my March 2005 report of Vonage ads appearing through eXact Advertising. These relationships add up to big money: BusinessWeek last week reported that Vonage paid Direct Revenue $31,570 in a single month of 2005 — a remarkable $110 for each customer Direct Revenue sent to Vonage. Meanwhile, in its litigation against Intermix, the New York Attorney General specifically documented Vonage’s ads appearing in Intermix KeenValue pop-ups.
A long article but well worth the read and the video view of DollarRevenue Covering Other Sites’ Ads with Vonage Ads.
Wayne Porter blogs about Ben’s article
by certifiedbug on July 7, 2006
in Security
Business Week Online takes a look at spammers and pop-up advertisers, using Direct Revenue as an example.
Among Direct Revenue’s alumni, pride over technical cunning mingles with regret for exasperating so many computer users. After waffling on the issue during a long interview, one former Dark Arts wizard sighs and sums up his version of the company credo with an elegiac observation by abolitionist Frederick Douglass: “Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them.
The Plot To Hijack Your Computer
