| The word "Adware" is short for | | | | included that may collect and may report on |
| "Advertising-Supported Software." This term | | | | computer use." As the company has included |
| describes any software which automatically | | | | this statement in the "Terms of Use," it is |
| plays, displays, or downloads advertising | | | | now no longer Spyware but simply Adware, as |
| material to a computer, after the software | | | | they are not "secretly" collecting and |
| has been installed on it. | | | | tracking your information. |
| | | | |
| It is usually included with other software | | | | But really... how many people actually fully |
| which one can download from the Internet - | | | | read the Terms of Use? |
| especially software that you can download for | | | | |
| "free". The price you pay is having the | | | | Another circumstance to take into account is |
| adware installed on your computer. When you | | | | the case when there are more than one person |
| run the program that you downloaded for | | | | using the computer. In the case of a family |
| "free" from the Internet, it will usually | | | | computer, your kids might download a simple |
| automatically cause adds to pop up on your | | | | "free game," and unaware of all the facts, |
| screen thereafter. | | | | automatically agree to have Adware installed. |
| | | | All you see is the kids playing a new game. |
| Adware software is integrated into, or | | | | You might even be happy as it didn't cost you |
| combined with, another program. The person or | | | | dime this time. However the "free game" is |
| company who is making the free program | | | | most likely not all that was downloaded. |
| available is usually paid for including | | | | |
| adware in his program. This is one of the | | | | A few names of well-known Adware programs are |
| ways that some programmers make a living or | | | | as follows: |
| cover the cost of writing "free" programs. | | | | |
| | | | * 180 Solutions * 180SearchAssistant |
| Sometimes Adware takes the form of spyware, | | | | * Zango * Bonzi Buddy * |
| keeping track of what you do on your | | | | BlockChecker * ClipGenie * Comet |
| computer, and which pages you visit on the | | | | Cursor * Cydoor * Direct Revenue |
| web. This information is automatically sent | | | | * Ebates MoneyMaker * ErrorSafe * |
| over the Internet to the company which runs | | | | Gator * Hotbar * Mirar Toolbar |
| the adware. The data is then used in order to | | | | * Smiley Central * WeatherBug |
| target you with specific advertisements, or | | | | |
| is sometimes resold to other companies. This | | | | This list is by no means complete and serves |
| is can be done entirely without your | | | | only to give some examples. |
| knowledge. Should you, however, complain | | | | |
| about this, you would most likely be referred | | | | There are programs designed specifically to |
| to some fine print in the license agreement | | | | detect spyware and adware. They and will not |
| which you accepted when you installed the | | | | detect or remove viruses. Some of these |
| "free" program. | | | | products are available for free on the |
| | | | Internet. Anti-Adware or Anti-Spyware |
| Some Adware can interfere with the functions | | | | programs are not Antivirus programs. This is |
| of other programs running on your computer, | | | | a different subject entirely. A virus is a |
| in order to force you to visit a particular | | | | malicious program which is spread from one |
| web site. If you find yourself being | | | | computer to the other. It harms your |
| automatically sent to a certain website, you | | | | computer, erases your data, keeps your system |
| can be fairly certain that you have some form | | | | from running correctly, or does other damage. |
| of adware running on your computer. | | | | |
| | | | A virus can also spy on you like spyware does |
| These days it can be hard to separate out | | | | - for example, by recording your credit card |
| "Adware" from "Spyware" and "Malware;" | | | | information and sending the data to someone |
| especially since many programs might do all | | | | else by email. But the terms adware or |
| of these things at the same time. For | | | | spyware usually refer to software which does |
| example, if you install "adware" knowingly or | | | | only that - spies on you, sends you |
| unknowingly on a computer, and agree to a | | | | advertisements, and steals your data; with or |
| tracking feature, the "adware" becomes | | | | without your "consent." Most Anti-virus |
| "spyware" as it is now also keeping track of | | | | programs also detect Adware and Spyware. |
| what you do and sending the information | | | | |
| somewhere. If someone else visits or contacts | | | | But if you are very active online it is a |
| your computer, this will also be recorded and | | | | good idea to have several different |
| his information is then passed on as well. | | | | anti-adware and anti-spyware programs |
| | | | installed. Different programs detect |
| Some Adware is not classified as Spyware | | | | different types of spyware and adware. By |
| because, somewhere in the user agreement it | | | | scanning your computer with more than one |
| says that "third-party software will be | | | | program, you can do a more thorough clean-up. |