Here are some articles: The Effect of 180solutions on Affiliate Commissions and Merchants (180 owns Zango) http://www.benedelman.org/spyware/180-affiliates/ Parasitic Affiliate Marketing, ParasiteWare, Cookie Stuffers and Parasites http://www.amwso.com/amwso_against_parasites.php Adware Impact on Affiliate and Merchant Web Sites and Revenue "How Can Adware Impact Your Web Site and Revenue?" http://www.affiliatefairplay.com/adware_overview.html
Oh and what F kind of comment it this? "If your audience isn't experienced enough to recognize spyware, no harm done." So if you steal from someone but they don't relaize anything is missing yet then it's OK??? Flawed logic! ANOTHER WAY SPYWARE HURTS ALL OF OUR ONLINE INCOMES Messing up consumers computers with spyware and incessant pops also DRIVE more people to buy ANTI-SPYWARE software. MOST ANTI-SPYWARE PROGRAMS ALSO BLOCK OR DELETE REGULAR AFFILIATE LINKS AND COOKIES. Yes I'm screaming and yelling and hopping mad. I have fought this battle many times on other forums. MOST OF THE GOOD FORUMS LOCKED THE THREAD SAYING THEY DO NOT SUPPORT AND WILL NOT TOLERATE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE SPYWARE!
I am with 5 star 100%. Spyware sucks. I used to and sometime still provide computer support. I personally know of several people that stopped using the Internet all together simple due to spyware they could not get rid of. Not all computer users are as savvy as webmasters. Many Baby Boomers (who have $$ to spend) are much less computer literate but are anxious to learn until a major run in with Adware.
You need to get out more, it's not that big of a deal. They agreed to have it on their computer, either that or didn't read carefully enough to see what they were signing into. That's their problem, not mine. Either way no law is broken and whatever "harm" you're doing can be corrected by a 2 minute spyware scan. I'm against non consentual spyware, but I have no sympathy for someone who signs into it and then complains later. Read what you sign and reap what you sow, you have no business downloading free software if you can't follow these simple instructions.
"You need to get out more, it's not that big of a deal." You are missing the point. This is not about informed consent and many consumers don't read TOS or know how to fix infected computers. The fact they are naive does not make it right for you to do it. PLUS Affiliates ARE getting busted and fined for spreading this crap. As they rightly should be! PLUS the main point I was trying to make was lost on you... You are posting in an AFFILIATE forum (where people are trying to earn a living) advocating spyware affiliate programs that hurt everyone's income and the entire industry!
These affiliate programs do not hurt my income and I will never be arrested because of them. Not once have I broken the law while promoting them. Furthermore, right and wrong is subjective. If I think it's right for me to do something you need to do more then say it's wrong for me to change my mind. I am not here to safeguard naive people, I'm here to make money so I can put food on the table. Understand where I'm coming from now? It's a competition based marketplace, I'm not here to protect my competitors. So if by hurting the industry you mean hurting other people competing with me, hell that's no skin off my back. I may share knowledge with people in exchange for knowledge, but I'm not going to close up shop because someone else competing with me is losing business.
Come on guys.. if you have nothing to offer as in sponsors to use, then please don't post your personal opinions in here. thanks.
Sometimes wikipedia is not that accurately since it can be edited by someone w/ accounts in it. Well, I believek zango works well but whenu is great too.