A Revolution is the Solution
Zango affiliate cleanup now thats funny its not happened its not going to happen and the $3 million fine was Shrugged of as being one of those Things,
they need to be Shutdown not fined Deny them the server space they need to operate .........
Thank you for the great forensic analysis on this one. I know many people using MySpace. Unfortunately, most of them are clueless about this type of software.
What does MySpace.com have to say about the automatted spam messages and what they intend to do about them? Have you or has anyone you know contacted them?
Clif
From what i know of myspace its not worth talking to them they do little or notthing about the Abuse on their Site its a case of Shrug read the rules pal if you dont like them block them ..
"What does MySpace.com have to say about the automatted spam messages and what they intend to do about them? Have you or has anyone you know contacted them?"
The problem with Myspace is that everything leads you to those stupid, never-get-a-reply-back forms. I think I might have the contact details for a guy in their security team though so we'll see how it goes...
I am actually a moderator for myspace and when I come across it I tell people to change their passwords and then find software to remove it from their computer. I feel bad for people who dont know any better but its also not our responsibility to make sure people dont click on the "Come take advantage of me" buttons on the internet.
Actually, its *everybodys* responsibility. If you take that atttitude, don't be surprised when there's nothing left of the net to use in ten years time or less. When you say "moderator", do you mean you work in frontline support, on the forums or as part of the security team?
I hate adware that is surreptitiously installed. But I also cannot stand people that refuse to take responsibility for their own actions. "I didn't read the license agreement, but I clicked accept and now it's doing things that I told them I had read about but actually didn't. It's not my fault I didn't read it...I don't like to read." Did you also know that when you sign a credit card receipt you actually have to pay money, regardless of whether or not you read the receipt and cardholder agreement? The nerve of these shady people stealing our money with our mere signature.
I have read the license agreement in question here, which is hardly ambiguous. They tell you exactly what it will do, and even give you a way to opt out of the "Recommendation Engine" (which you conveniently left out of this article). I tried the software, and when I uninstalled it, it left my computer without protest and was gone for good.
As software goes, this one seems innocuous at worst and useful at best. It nothing it didn't tell me it would do up front. Maybe they are hawking other, nastier things flavors of adware, but that's really more a Zango issue than a ProfileWatcher issue.
I, for one, like to read the contracts I enter into.
I hate adware that is surreptitiously installed. But I also cannot stand people that refuse to take responsibility for their own actions. "I didn't read the license agreement, but I clicked accept and now it's doing things that I told them I had read about but actually didn't. It's not my fault I didn't read it...I don't like to read." Did you also know that when you sign a credit card receipt you actually have to pay money, regardless of whether or not you read the receipt and cardholder agreement? The nerve of these shady people stealing our money with our mere signature.
I have read the license agreement in question here, which is hardly ambiguous. They tell you exactly what it will do, and even give you a way to opt out of the "Recommendation Engine" (which you conveniently left out of this article). I tried the software, and when I uninstalled it, it left my computer without protest and was gone for good.
As software goes, this one seems innocuous at worst and useful at best. It does nothing it didn't tell me it would do up front. Maybe they are hawking other, nastier flavors of adware, but that's really more a Zango issue than a ProfileWatcher issue.
I, for one, like to read the contracts I enter into.
"license agreement in question here, which is hardly ambiguous. They tell you exactly what it will do, and even give you a way to opt out of the "Recommendation Engine" (which you conveniently left out of this article)."
Interesting that you bang on about the profile watcher terms and conditions, when if you'd bothered to check Myspace terms and conditions, you'd see that programs sending automated messages from accounts are NOT ALLOWED. That about null and voids anything else you'd like to point out but go ahead anyway.
Actually Dintz, I believe the it also tells you that you must obtain permission from MySpace to use it.
lmfao! yes, its called a GARBAGE GET OUT CLAUSE, so the makers of the program can say oh, well, we told them to contact you and make sure you said "yes" to our program spamming pages on your site from random accounts without having to ask them every time we want to do it, or even checking the content of the message we're putting out".
what a stupid argument.
you think the people who made that program DON'T know you're not allowed to send spam from accounts like this? Of course they do. You think they honestly believe Myspace will turn around and make an exception for their program to perform a function that the recently discovered myspace quicktime worm also performed?
doh.
Spam is in the eye of the beholder. If I recommend a product to a friend, is that spam? It looks like that's these guys' intent - to get the people that are using their software for free to tell their friends about it. They are upfront about the way they do this. Granted, they are walking the line, but I don't think they've actually crossed it.
" Spam is in the eye of the beholder."
...even when its not allowed in the myspace terms?
"If I recommend a product to a friend, is that spam?"
If you allow your account to send messages without the permission of the people providing that account, is that spam?
"It looks like that's these guys' intent "
...to spam messages on myspace?
"They are upfront about the way they do this. Granted, they are walking the line, but I don't think they've actually crossed it."
Did they break the Myspace terms? Yep, so they crossed the line.
Rounkan: I've been annoyed enough by this that I actually spent an hour yesterday looking into it. So, here goes.
You miss the point. The manufacturers of the software have not violated MySpace's terms. If the users don't obtain permission, then THEY are violating MySpace's terms. That's on them. MySpace's say nothing about producing such software - only about using it. Again, it comes back to peple refusing to take responsibility for their own actions. In order for this software to work you have to give it your MySpace login/password and agree that you have asked mysapce for permission to use it.
That's on you if you choose to lie.
Nonsense. The user can't be held liable for a EULA thats based on a faulty notion of "permission" to begin with. Youre telling me the creators of that program DONT know that the only way to get in touch with myspace is through a generic cut and paste form which ONLY EVER gives you an automated reply back?
please.
Theyre asking the impossible of the users, and theres no way they dont know it. Plus even if the users DO ask myspace by some magical means, the answer back will ALWAYS be no, because the program is not in compliance with myspaces own terms and conditions.
adware history is littered with stupid eula clauses like these, and they should be treated with the contempt they deserve. whats that? got a program that needs to spam automated messages across myspace? no problem, we'll just try and shift the blame onto the end user.
yawn.
Commenting by HaloScan
