Maureen asks how the recent news concerning Google's banning of Incredimail will affect her
"I have been using IncrediMail and am a bit worried with the news that Google disabled all their ads with them for "spyware bombing" and violation of Google's terms of service. What is a spyware bomb? Thanks, Maureen.
Our Answer
Many of you have read that Google has banned Incredimail from its Adsense program. The multi-million dollar, publicly-traded company Incredimail and maker of adware "Incredimail" - relies on Google ads for 85% of their income many sources say. While the full story has not yet been revealed, speculation about Incredimail's alleged scurrilous activities include charges of spyware bombing. While this remains speculation, it comes from many reliable sources.
Spyware Bombing is spyware that is downloaded and installed to a computer remotely without notification to the user. As we've warned users many times, when you allow a program to access your computer remotely all the time (like Incredimail) your computer becomes vulnerable to furtive activities - such as installing new, potentially unwanted programs under the guise of "updates". Incredimail has always required an open connection between your computer and Incredimail's servers - this open connection is essentially a conduit - a pipe through which anything can be pumped from a server to your computer. Whether it's an update or a new program - it can be installed without your knowledge and while you're not even using your computer.
We pointed out, long ago that Incredimail's privacy policy was one of the very worst we've ever seen and nothing has changed in its privacy policy since we wrote about it in this article.
Is it legal for Incredimail to install software (as updates or anything else they decide you should have) on your computer without your knowledge? It sure is. Why? Because by installing Incredimail you LEGALLY agree to their privacy policy, End User License Agreement, and Terms of Use. To us the most incredible thing about Incredimail is that they can get people to install it and thereby agree to their shocking Privacy Policy which states (this is verbatim):
"...CONSENT TO PROCESSING
Users, including without limitation, Users in the European Union, fully understand and unambiguously consent to the collection and processing of their personally identifiable and non-personally identifiable information, in the United States. ..."
That anyone would agree to the "unambiguous" collection of their personally identifiable information astonishes us. Yet, apparently, tens of thousands have traded their "personally identifiable information" for an E-mail program that sends stationery. Whether Incredimail users know it or not, they are legally bound by to this (and Incredimail's EULA and Terms of Use). They can collect from you what you will; they can install software on your computer without your knowledge as they wish; you gave them permission (legally) to do it - and you have no remedy under the law no matter what.
Perhaps Google has become the first big company to actually see through Incredimail's smoke screen - and if so, we feel pretty darn good, we were the very first to see through it. Are they spyware bombing? We don't know, but we know if Google bans you, you are doing something very bad.
If Incredimail ever recovers from the loss of 85% of its revenue, let's hope they come back as a company that cares about its users as much as it does its bottom line. Their ludicrous privacy policy remains one of the worse we've ever seen and shows not one bit of concern their users' privacy.
Note: There are literally hundreds of news stories about Google banning Incredimail from its Adsense program. You can start with this article - there are many, many more. It's big news because Incredimail is a publicly-traded company and and stockholders have a right to know what the company is up to. An 85% drop in gross revenue would put most small caps out of business. We'll see what happens in the coming months.
Stay tuned. Maybe it won't be too long before we can tell you - "See? We told you so!"
