Stop Spyware Badware problem
Stop Spyware Badware problem
We’re really excited to tell you about StopBadware.org, a new initiative aimed at combating the growing problem of spyware and other deceptive software.
This project is led by Harvard’s Berkman Center and the Oxford Internet Institute to independently evaluate downloadable applications, publish objective information for consumers, and provide an easy web-based way for users to describe problems they’ve encountered.
Consumer Reports WebWatch is serving as an unpaid advisor to the effort. Google, along with Sun Microsystems and Lenovo, are co-sponsors
Q: What is badware?
Badware is software that fundamentally disregards a user’s choice over how his or her computer will be used. There are several commonly recognized terms for types of badware – spyware, malware, and deceptive adware.
Common examples might be a free screensaver that surreptitiously generates ads, or a malicious web browser toolbar that makes your browser go to different pages than the ones you expected.
Q: Why badware, and not spyware, adware, or one of the many more commonly recognized terms?
We decided to call ourselves StopBadware.org, and emphasize the term badware, because we want to be a ‘big tent’.
We want to attack all forms of badware, not just software that steals your information (spyware) or software that pops up unexpected ads (deceptive adware).
