WP: On Spyware. Please forward to your Rep. and demand...

[usregimechange]

That they pass laws to throw these freeping corporate crooks in jail for life! Ok, maybe not for life but if you know what I mean please give me a kick and lets put an end to this crap!

Computer Users Face New Scourge
New Hidden Adware Programs Hijack Hard Drives

By Ariana Eunjung Cha
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, October 10, 2004; Page A01

SAN FRANCISCO -- Chuck Harris remembers when the Internet was fun and he'd spend hours reading his favorite news sites, checking the church calendar, browsing the shops. Then, a few weeks ago, he lost control of his computer. It turned into a giant electronic billboard.

The Web browser was taken over by a company he didn't recognize. Pop-up windows tried to download stuff he didn't ask for. Strange icons kept appearing offering low home mortgage loans and sexual enhancement pills he didn't want.

Harris spent days trying to fix the computer, but the programs had multiplied to the point where he couldn't run anything else and he decided to give up on the machine. Last week, the 68-year-old retired aerospace engineer from Yorktown, Va., shelled out $1,000 for a new computer, but now he and his wife, Dorothy, use it only when absolutely necessary.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20665-2004Oct9.html

[BattyDem]

1. That's one way to keep people off the Internets.

Make it frustrating, stressful and nearly impossible for them to use their computers ... so they won't log on and find out the truth.

[Ducks In A Row]

2. I've never had this problem with Macintosh

do they just not make spyware for macs, or is the OS still hack-proof?

[Cleita]

3. There is software that takes care of the spyware.

Someone posted a link on DU. My security software seems to do an adequate job of keeping the nuisance ads to a minimum.

[usregimechange]

4. Not mine and we have spent money on it! I should not be...

spending my money cleaning their crap off of my computer!

[Eloriel]

5. I use Ad-Aware

Free and it seems to be doing okay tho we had some problems before I got it. Also a good idea to have a firewall (e.g., Zone Alarm) and, of course, virus protection.

It's getting old having to keep adding these layers of protection.

I'm having to close the email account I've had with Earthlink (actually, Mindspring orignally, then merged with Earthlink) for over 12 years because my email address has somehow been hijacked and is being used by spammers. Imagine how it feels to see a couple of spams in your inbox, one for Viagra, from YOURSELF! I get over a hundred a day from these jerks (not all from "me" just 2 so far), and I just can't handle it any more. I've had it with Earthlink and have changed ISPs anyway, primarily because of their outsourcing. When I called Tech Support and got someone in India, that was THE LAST STRAW. So eff-u, Earthlink.

Of course, re the email, I COULD add still another layer of protection with a product like Spam Arrest but I'm just not going to do it at this point.