Overhype

Overhype

by Mike Masnick




AOL Gets Out Of The Adware Advertising Business

from the for-the-best... dept

One part of the adware business that doesn't receive nearly enough attention is the fact that there are a ton of big name brands that advertise via adware that is surreptitiously installed on users' computers. In some cases, the companies behind those brands probably don't realize what they're supporting, but many of them do. However, it looks like AOL is realizing just what a problem adware is. Last summer, the company bought Advertising.com, who provides an ad network. Today comes the news that Advertising.com will no longer place ads on adware products. Just like ISPs with anti-spam policies hosting spammers (or even selling mailing lists to spammers), ISPs selling advertising on adware not only looks bad, but increases their own support costs.

2 Comments | Leave a Comment..

 
 

Reader Comments

(Flattened / Threaded)

    Mar 7th, 2005 @ 12:19pm
  • No Subject Given

    by rak

    this from the inventor of meatspace-adware which we all know and love. truth be told, i gotta thank them for my lovely coaster set.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

    • Mar 7th, 2005 @ 6:50pm
    • a bit off topic

      by mopai

      what other ISP (dsl/cable) that you can have multiple user accounts (and change so fast/easily) with a good e-mail system that isn't just crap Outlook with a skin on it (like earthlink, msn etc)?
      I'm interested, but so far I have not found anything close to AOL on these 2 issues.
      any real advise? - thanks in advance.

      (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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