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Scams

by Mike Masnick

Tue, May 31st 2005 12:47pm





Who Do You Trust? Not Netscape...

from the spyware-galore... dept

It isn't at all surprising to find out that AOL's new version of Netscape has a "trust rating system" that seems to say plenty of well known adware vendors are perfectly trustworthy. After all, AOL was one of the companies that made a big splash by announcing an anti-spyware product that didn't actually remove spyware. However, with all of these new efforts at preventing spyware and phishing scams with various "trust" ratings, are we putting users at greater risk? Most average, non-techie, users probably believe that if AOL says a site is trustworthy, then it probably is. Building up such weak "trust" systems only helps to undermine the level of "internet street smarts" that a user should have to avoid the various pitfalls of being online. There's nothing wrong with trying to provide more information for users -- but when it sets an expectation that it will protect users, when it clearly does not, is it making the situation worse?

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  1.  
    identicon
    Spyware guy, May 31st, 2005 @ 6:10pm

    AOL spyware removal

    Why do you say that the AOL anti-spyware product(which is a rebranded version of the decent Aluria product) only detects and doesnt remove? I use it all the time and it does detect and remove and has since it was released...seems you are confusing it with Earthlink - get your facts right man!

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  
    identicon
    The AntiJyn, May 31st, 2005 @ 8:57pm

    The handicapped internet

    Personally, if you not only pay aol on top of the cost of any high speed internet connection (dsl/cable) then you deserve anything AOL hands you.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  
    identicon
    thecaptain, Jun 1st, 2005 @ 5:16am

    Re: AOL spyware removal

    He says this because it has been reported (there may have been a story here actually) that it will not detect/remove spyware/adware installed by AOL Business partners.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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