Spyware Scare tactics

frostytheplebe

frostytheplebe

Seventh Part of the Seal
Before I really became "computer savvy" on my first laptop I was getting all kinds of pop ups and spy ware. The most annoying of which was ones that said something like "If your CD drive pops open, you need to download our software." Which would then take you to an anti spyware website. Keep in mind I was in my first year of college and literally had no idea what I was doing as spyware was still a relatively unheard of (or unsupported) phenomenon.

It pretty much destroyed my first laptop to the point where I had to reimage EVERYTHING. I was sitting there scratching my head like, "I thought this only happened to people who visited porn sites..." Young and stupid me... :D

Well I remember I went to the website and looked at their "legal jargon" where it stated, "We are not responsible for our advertising." To this day I do not understand how that can be or how it is legal. So now that I'm working in IT, and see this type of stuff all the time, I decided to try to do something about it.

I got my old computer, still damaged, out of storage, checked it, yes it still has all the old problems on it. Found the website and company, and filed a complaint with the Attourney Generals Office. They got back to me almost shockingly quick (for Gov't work anyway.) Stating there was nothing they could do and no case to prosecute.

Does that mean what these "Rogue Anti spyware companies" are doing is legal?

Sorry if this comes off as a rant.
 
At a guess, lacking a whole bunch of info needed to make a better judgment, there's no law covering it because it didn't happen enough to bring it to the attention of the MA legislature or judicial system.

Another possibility (and, again, this is just a guess from an almost nonexistent amount of data) is that it may be covered, but your specific situation happened outside of the statute of limitations for that law.
 
There's also the possibility that they didn't deem it as worth their time. Whether it be political motivation or just a full plate of cases, they have to pick their battles. If you're serious about it, you should follow up with a lawyer.
 
Y'know, it's thoughts like yours that start large movements. You feel like people should be protected against such actions, and rightly so. I think you should pursue this. You never know what you can accomplish till you try, man.
 
overmortal said:
Y'know, it's thoughts like yours that start large movements. You feel like people should be protected against such actions, and rightly so. I think you should pursue this. You never know what you can accomplish till you try, man.
Click to expand...

It's a nice thought, but you might want to find another rally point besides me. To quote a game that does not appear to be very popular around here "I know many things, and I know what I am not - I am no leader. I speak with a voice that will never move others, I speak with a passion that goes unheard." -Kreia, KOTOR2

If a movement does start, I'll be the first to pledge my support. Until then I'll keep fighting one computer at a time and keep trying to come up with a counter virus.
 
Hello, frosty, anybody home? knock-knock What's that smell, ooh I know what I smell, a plebe. ;)

The internet is under martial law, if you want to really mess up people you can(and yes it happens on a daily basis). Just about everybody has internet access these days, and spyware/spam are getting smarter all the time. The fact that the internet is anonymous, makes it all the more too easy for people who want to frame you in some way to get away with it.

If you have any reinstalling problems, I would be more than willing to help out a fellow WC fan.
 
Get a lawyer and sue them yourselves. I mean, If in your country a Thief can win against the shop cause he broke his leg while breaking in, you should have no problems getting a few milion dollars from them...
 
@mancubus, that happens here, and we "the people" are really, really getting angry with that. My countries politics are based on the believe that we should redeem ourselves because we hurt other people in the past, like 300~500 years ago.

Also, a burgler is a desperate man, you really think he would pay you?
 
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