A federal judge denied the Federal Trade Commission’s request to block a software firm from sending pop-up ads online. The case goes to trial on March 8, 2004, reports The Associated Press.

The FTC wants to keep D-Squared Solutions from sending pop-up ads to sell its ad-blocking software (Dec. 16 Xtra). The San Diego-based company, run by two University of California-San Diego students, are defending themselves against the FTC’s suit—an unusual move, since most marketers comply quietly with FTC actions.

The judge found insufficient evidence of injury to consumers, AP reports. The FTC argued that the ads crashed consumers’ computers, lost data, and caused frustration and harassment, per AP. The FTC has said it acted on consumer complaints that the ads disrupted home-computer use and people didn’t know how to turn them off.

A federal judge denied the Federal Trade Commission’s request to block a software firm from sending pop-up ads online. The case goes to trial on March 8, 2004, reports The Associated Press.

The FTC wants to keep D-Squared Solutions from sending pop-up ads to sell its ad-blocking software (Dec. 16 Xtra). The San Diego-based company, run by two University of California-San Diego students, are defending themselves against the FTC’s suit—an unusual move, since most marketers comply quietly with FTC actions.

The judge found insufficient evidence of injury to consumers, AP reports. The FTC argued that the ads crashed consumers’ computers, lost data, and caused frustration and harassment, per AP. The FTC has said it acted on consumer complaints that the ads disrupted home-computer use and people didn’t know how to turn them off.