Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Marketing Group Says No to Spyware
The Direct Marketing Association just issued standards for developing software that can be downloaded onto personal computers or portable electronics devices.Members of the DMA:
should not install, have installed, or use, software or other similar technology on a computer or similar device that initiates deceptive practices or interferes with a user's expectation of the functionality of the computer and its programs.
Also prohibited would be programs that deceptively modify or disable security or browser settings or prevent the user's efforts to disable or uninstall the software.
So the guidelines don't specifically mention relaying information to servers or stealthily tracking users activities (aka spyware), but the language would prevent companies (hello Sony) from creating software that couldn't be uninstalled.
The announcement says that following the rules is required to be a member, so offenders might have the ignominy of being booted. It is laudable that the DMA is chiming in on the spyware topic, with special reference to companies that distribution music online as a way of increasing consumer confidence.
Posted By Jason Dowdell at 06:33 PM
Permanent Link: Marketing Group Says No to Spyware
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