Claria Leaves Adware Business

Alex Stern writes "In an attempt to clean up its tarnished name, Claria has hired Deutsche Bank to help them sell off the software tools that were previously supported by their adware. Claria says they are unwilling to sell the software for the GAIN ad network, or the data they have collected from their users. Claria is also holding on to their eWallet software that manages passwords. On July 1, Claria will shutdown the GAIN network and inform their users they can either uninstall their software or pay for it. Claria's new business model is 'a new platform designed to provide consumers with a personalized Internet experience.'"

MS antispyware

[The Lerneaen Hydra]

Now that (officially) they wont log data, does this mean MS antispyware will be set to default remove?

Tarnished name.

[Poromenos1]

I don't think you can clear a name that has been into spyware. I know I won't trust them for anything else they might do...

Next story...

[Luigi30]

A new company starts up called Claritor, who restarts the GAIN network...

Personalized Internet experience?

[gluecode]

>> Claria's new business model is 'a new platform designed to >> provide consumers with a personalized Internet experience.'" To create a personalized Internet experience, don't they have to collect more intimate user information?

Yeah. Right. Good luck.

[ankhcraft]

Claria's new business model is 'a new platform designed to provide consumers with a personalized Internet experience.'

Sounds like a recipe for failure to me. I doubt the value that they add is going to be enough to make people want to pay for their software. I doubt that very much.

Why would anybody pay for software to pre-populate fields w/ credit cards, addresses, etc. when Internet Explorer and Firefox can already do that for free? (If you're into that sort of thing.)

Hello toilet, goodbye Claria.

Yeah, uh huh.

[Valar]

"Claria's new business model is 'a new platform designed to provide consumers with a personalized Internet experience.'"

No doubt by spying on you, showing you ads, AND making you pay for the software that does it.

Thanks, but no thanks.

Why...

[Anonymous Coward]

"Claria says they are unwilling to sell the software for the GAIN ad network, or the data they have collected from their users."

Uh, why? Did they wake up some morning and magically get some ethics? Or are they afraid of what people will discover?

They should get (another) name change at the same time. Most people know the relationship Claria == Gator == spyware/adware == scum.

How is Spyware Legal?

[SisyphusShrugged]

I have always had trouble understanding how spyware can be legal anyway...

I mean basically the company is spying on you, its similar to if Walmart hired someone to constantly stalk you and take notes on what kind of shampoo you buy...it just does not seem logical.

But then who said laws have to be logical, I mean the RIAA/MPAA DMCA CRAP states that for each movie/song one downloads the loss to the companies is the hundreds of thousands of dollars, doesnt really make sense does it...

Re:How is Spyware Legal?

[It'sYerMam]

I mean basically the company is spying on you, its similar to if Walmart hired someone to constantly stalk you and take notes on what kind of shampoo you buy...it just does not seem logical.

I'm assuming you don't own any supermarket loyalty cards.

What a blow to Deutsche Bank

[Vadim Makarov]

If I were Deutsche Bank, I'd run from these guys like hell.

The criminal is in hideout.

[ZoOnI]

I guess this means they won't be liable for any legal actions. I'd like to see a sopena of their records so we can see whom they sold their illegally gotten data. I wonder how many reputable businesses use this kind of info. They have the tools and infrastructure to start another venture on the lawless wild wild web, so we can expect to see them again when the heat is off, if this is more than postering.

Re:How is Spyware Legal?

[Anonymous Coward]

Why would a store not have a right to spy on you? They already do this anyway. Heard of security cameras? Someone sits in a dark room in the back looking.

If you have a credit/debit card or a store membership card, they do this too.

Your analogy doesn't really fit.. Spyware is something you generally are tricked into installing, deceived into installing, or it is installed without your permission, period, onto YOUR computer. When you are in someone else's store, you don't get to dictate who can and can't peep around while you're buying shampoo and condoms.

Re:Tarnished name.

[Reziac]

I translated the move to mean "our adware product is now so ubiquitously blocked that it's become hard to make money with it, so we're selling it to some other sucker and finding a new area to sleeze in."

I'm not that naive.

[Puls4r]

Sorry, but businesses don't get out of a market to "clean up their name". Something financial was driving this, though I don't know what. Are they scared of litigation, or did their revenue from ads drop? Was google stealing their market?

People forgive/forget

[Anonymous Coward]

George W Bush lied about WMD during his first term in office, but people forgot/forgave him and voted him in for a second term.

A lot of people hated the Vietnam war and the soldiers who fought there, but now most have come to terms that the soldiers did what the country asked them to do, and had to go through hell and back.

George S Patton was sometimes a really mean guy, but most people remember him as an excellent general.

Microsoft has a terrible track record when it comes to security, but people still install their software.

Union Carbide was responsible for 15,000 people's deaths in India, but the company is still alive and well.

History tends to be nice to folks/corporations.

Adware == adware

[dpbsmith]

"The new system will serve up personalized content and advertising to opt-in users."

In other words, adware... ...which is always (claimed to be) opt-in? Usually in a confusing, most people would feel deceptive way, but at some point in the process you have clicked "yes" on a button, with or without having paid any attention to a complicated notice in obfuscated legalese...

Re:How is Spyware Legal?

[techno-vampire]

'm assuming you don't own any supermarket loyalty cards.

There are three differences here. First, you have to specifically request the card and fill out an application. (Most spyware installs itself without telling you.) Second,you are explicitly agreeing to let the market track your purcheses when you get the card. (Spyware doesn't even ask.) Last, you are paid for that by the discounts you get. (Spyware gives back nothing.)

Re:People forgive/forget

[Guppy06]

"George W Bush lied about WMD during his first term in office, but people forgot/forgave him and voted him in for a second term."

That was less about forgiving him and more about people being terrified of terrorists and/or gay marriage.

"A lot of people hated the Vietnam war and the soldiers who fought there, but now most have come to terms that the soldiers did what the country asked them to do, and had to go through hell and back."

It only took 10-15 years.

"Microsoft has a terrible track record when it comes to security, but people still install their software."

It's called a "monopoly" for a reason.

"Union Carbide was responsible for 15,000 people's deaths in India, but the company is still alive and well."

Few people in the US know, let alone care. Fewer still know how their purchaes support UC.