Tag: ads

  • Serving up web ads to users with javascript disabled

    Well, with all the news on the Explorer bug, I started wondering what affect this would have on people browsing sites with adsense. I mean, adsense relies on javascript, so if it’s disabled, no adsense right? Right… Of course, adsense is not the only advertising program that uses javascript. (Of course, there are a number of other things, web counters like google analytics, etc….)

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  • TRUSTe will offer certification for adware

    TRUSTe has announced a program to certify software downloads. Among them are certifications for adware and “trackware” (spyware?). The bullet summary for the article claims this will bring an end to “unwanted popups”. A clip from the article reads as follows…

    To be placed on the whitelist, adware and trackware must prominently disclose the types of advertising that will be displayed, personal information that will be tracked, and user settings that may be altered, and must obtain user opt-in consent for the download. An easy uninstall with clear instructions must be provided, and advertisements must be labeled with the name of the adware program. Program participants must maintain separate advertising inventory for users of certified applications. To move legacy users to certified advertising inventory, they must obtain new opt-in consent.

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  • Looks as though the FTC has broken up a spyware ring

    A bit of good news on the spyware front, the FTC has announced that it’s frozen the assets of a spyware ring. Apparently they spread spyware through a network of sites and blogs that pushed ringtones, lyrics, and pictures. Good to see some progress made against spyware pushers….

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  • Firefox market share still growing

    This should have made it into the last update, but…. it didn’t.

    According to onestat.com and reported at desktoplinux.com the firefox browser is continuing to make market share gains. Now it stands at around 11% market share worldwide and 14% in the US.

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  • Google Adwords infringement case…

    Geico, sometime back, has sued Google (also Overture, but that was settled out of court) over a couple of issues with Adwords. For starters, Geico does not advertise through Google. Their competitors do and in some cases their competitors have appeared with the keywords Geico and Geico Direct. (In other words the advertisors said those are keywords they’re paying to be associated with.) The other issue was with the text in the ad mentioning Geico and Geico Direct.

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  • Itunes adware?

    It’s an older post, but I just discovered it…. July 21st… spware confidential reports on a virus masquerading as an itunes installer that actually brings along some adware (4 different applications) for fun. This apparently was distributed over the AIM messenger network.

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  • Pay per click hijacking

    Interesting article at lurhq.com on pay per click hijacking, which is really an extension on old DNS poisoning attacks. Essentially the DNS poisoning attack works like this…
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