Is this Spy software?

rick1138

I'm not sure which forum this belongs in.On one website I went to (I'm not sure which one it was because I usually open multiple browsers at once,a popup came up stating:



If you do not have the temperature next to the clock on your PC Taskbar,click OK.By clicking OK,the download will begin,and you will agree to the WeatherBug terms of use.



Just to see how nefarious the terms of use where I went to the page that was linked and found this:"AWS WeatherBug is proud to be part of the Homeland Security Initiative."





Another I found to be curious:



"13. AUTO-UPGRADES. AWS may, from time to time, automatically upgrade WeatherBug functionality and/or content. AWS may notify you of any such changes by posting notice of such changes on WeatherBug.com, via e-mail or other means. Your continued use of the Service following upgrade and/or changes shall be deemed to be your acceptance of any such modification. If you do not agree to any such modification, you must immediately stop using the Software and the Services."

rick1138

Oh yeah the link is here:



<a href="http://ww3.weatherbug.com/aws/default.asp?cid=53"; target="_blank">http://ww3.weatherbug.com/aws/default.asp?cid=53</a>;

noahj

This is where they come in on homeland security.



<a href="http://www.aws.com/aws_2001/homeland/index.html"; target="_blank">http://www.aws.com/aws_2001/homeland/index.html</a>;

fellowship

If you are worried about it download and install this software "Ad-Aware" It is great software for free that works without a flaw.



Only for PC



<a href="http://download.com.com/3000-2094-10121984.html?tag=lst-0-1"; target="_blank">http://download.com.com/3000-2094-10121984.html?tag=lst-0-1</a>;



Fellowship

kneelbeforezod

Spybot is pretty good too, and catches some of the annoying webdialers that AdAware misses. Again, PC only (but you only really need it for a Windows machine, thanks to the wide selection of security holes).



Download it <a href="http://security.kolla.de/"; target="_blank">here</a>. You'll be amazed that the amount of crud it digs up the first time you run it.

rick1138

Look I don't have a PC this APPPLEinsider,remember?I just initiated this thread to discuss the political implications of spyware,and oh I'm sure that none of the information gathered by this company is shared with Operation TIPS

kneelbeforezod

Well, seeing as AWS WeatherBug runs on Windows - not Macs - I'm sure you can understand the assumption.



The term 'SpyWare' is generally used to refer to software that installs itself on your PC to monitor your interests and web surfing activity for purposes of target marketing. Sometimes it is bundled with other software (Kazaa 2.0 has five different Spy Ware programs hidden in it) and sometimes it gets installed when you visit a website and click on an otherwise harmless looking link. I've never found any SpyWare on my Mac, but get it on my PC all the time.



I guess the Govt. could monitor peoples computer usage in this way, but they have much more sophisticated systems for doing this already in place.



<a href="http://www.echelonwatch.org"; target="_blank">www.echelonwatch.org</a>



<a href="http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/carnivore/carnivore.htm"; target="_blank">http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/carnivore/carnivore.htm</a>;