Microsoft downgrades Gator
p2pnet.net News:- Microsoft has quietly downgraded its detections of Claria [read Gator] adware in its latest update (#5731) to Microsoft AntiSpyware released today, writes Eric L. Howes in Broadbandreports.
While Claria’s products have not been removed from the Microsoft AntiSpyware definitions, this change is troubling, coming so close on the heels of the revelation that Microsoft has been in talks with Claria to acquire the company, he says.
Microsoft AntiSpyware used to detect Claria’s products and present users with a `Recommended Action` of `Quarantine`.
But, Microsoft AntiSpyware now presents users with a `Recommended Action` of `Ignore`, although users can still change the action to `Quarantine` or `Remove`, says Howes.
As Broadbandreports points out, a New York Times piece says for the last two weeks, “Microsoft has been in talks to buy a private Silicon Valley company, a move that underscores just how eager Microsoft is to catch up with Google, the search and advertising giant.
“The company that Microsoft has pursued is controversial: Claria, an adware marketer formerly called Gator, and best known for its pop-up ads and software that tracks people visiting Web sites. The Gator adware has frequently been denounced by privacy advocates for its intrusiveness.”
When Gator was still Gator, it had the distinction of being named as one of the two worst spyware applications.
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See:-
Broadbandreports – MS Downgrades Claria Detections, July 2, 2005
New York Times – Microsoft Said to Be in Talks to Buy Adware Developer, June 30, 2005
still Gator – Gator boss on DoHS committee, p2pnet, February 26, 2005
July 2nd, 2005 at 5:07 pm
Hi:
One crucial bit of new information should be noted: it now appears that the Claria detections were “downgraded” much earlier than we initially suspected — certainly by June 2 (#5723), but possibly even earlier than that. See the original DSLR/BBR thread for more information:
http://www.broadbandreports.com/forum/remark,13793423
Best,
Eric L. Howes
July 2nd, 2005 at 5:46 pm
The pic says it all.
Morg
July 3rd, 2005 at 2:27 am
after only reading the headline, i figgered ms was probably trying to buy gator. and i was right.
gator is such a crap thing – strictly for n00bs and other naive and uninformed people. same with the ms spyware removal “tool”.
yeah, TOOL. you have to be a “tool” to use either of these things.