Two days after it initiated its first-ever lawsuit against a "spyware" purveyor, the Federal Trade Commission has issued a consumer booklet advising users on how to keep their computers free of the online nuisance.
"Just when you thought you were Web savvy, one more privacy, security and functionality issue crops up – spyware," the publication begins. It goes on to list telltale signs that such users may inadvertently downloaded such Web-use-tracking programs: new and unexpected toolbars or icons, sluggish performance, random error messages or keys that don't work as they should – for example, the "Tab" key failing to move to the next field in a Web form.
To combat spyware, computer users are advised to update operating systems, avoid clicking links in pop-up windows, and set their browser security at least to "medium" to avoid unauthorized "drive-by" downloads as they surf.
Spyware uses code downloaded without the user's knowledge to manipulate a computer in several ways: triggering pop-up ads, pushing them to Web sites, or simply tracking their use of the Internet.
Tuesday's FTC lawsuit sought an injunction against Seismic Entertainment Productions and Smartbot.net, whose software produced pop-up ads that advertised products to block pop-up ads. FTC acting director of consumer protection called that "the height of online chutzpah".
The owner of the two companies, Sanford Wallace, linked their practices to "a larger network of companies involved in direct marketing that annoys customers." But a statement from the Direct Marketing Association denied that such practices could be considered direct marketing and called them "a blight on the legitimate direct marketing industry", reducing consumer trust in remote sales.
