AOL Censorship

AOL Censorship

When Adolf Hitler rose to power in the 1930's, one of the ways he controlled the masses was to institute a policy of censorship which masqueraded -- for a time -- as protection. His giant, well-oiled propaganda machine paved the way for censorship, most often portraying it as necessary for the security of the country or the safety of the individual. By allowing the German people to hear, see and read only what the government wanted them to hear, see, and read, they assured their control was absolute. They created an atmosphere in which censorship was not only acceptable but sometimes even desirable. Did the German people think they were being treated unfairly by this regime of censorship? No, not really. At least not at first. They believed it was for their own good. For their own safety. A "benefit" of sorts.

While the above paragraph is an extreme over-simplification of a very complex issue, the point we want to make is that no group of people are going to buy into censorship if it is presented as censorship. And we are, by no means comparing AOL with Hitler. But censorship in any form must never be allowed. Whether it's a government or an ISP -- it doesn't matter.

In order to sell the masses on the benefits of censorship it must be marketed delicately - via propaganda or "marketing" (see AOL's TV commercials). They convince their audience they're unsafe without AOL and proceed to pound on the same theme over and over and over. Apparently they assume their audience is about as smart as a lagoon carp -- as their commercial with the bug-eyed lady and the cake clearly demonstrates.

Adolf Hitler wrote in Mein Kampf --
"The chief function of propaganda is to convince the masses, who slowness of understanding needs to be given time in order that they may absorb information; and only constant repetition will finally succeed in imprinting an idea on their mind.........the slogan must of course be illustrated in many ways and from several angles, but in the end one must always return to the assertion of the same formula. The one will be rewarded by the surprising and almost incredible results that such a personal policy secures."

In AOL's case, its propaganda machine describes its ubiquitous, multi-tentacled approach to "security" and censorship (spam filtering) as a benefit to its users. They're going to protect you from yourself because they know for a fact that you are not capable of protecting yourself -- as if you're some kind of mindless, slow-witted oaf that needs to be constantly led around the Internet by the hand or worse -- on a set of wobbly training wheels. And, it appears that the protection provided, at least in part, consists of spam filtering (censorship) -- the underpinnings of which are a set of crazy, mysterious and arbitrary rules. Cake anyone?

If you think we're exaggerating we're going to tell you details of a true story and it just happened last week. And we were the target of AOL's censorship. It's not funny and it should alarm all of you - AOL subscriber or not. Because the trend is frightening and it's going to get a lot worse if you stand idly by and let it happen. And you will have no one else to blame but yourselves.

Here's what happened in a nutshell: on Friday, July 29, 2005 we sent both our InfoAve Premium Edition and InfoAve Free Edition in the morning as we normally do. By mid-afternoon on that day, it became very apparent that a great many subscribers had not received their newsletters. After discussions with our mail list hosting service we began to see a troubling picture being painted. None of our 20,000+ AOL subscribers received their newsletters. Other ISPs were not receiving the email either due to a problem with our mail server or with their ISP censoring email.

AOL cannot deny their policy of arbitrary digital censorship. Upon further investigation we traced it back to one single link in Issue #183 (Free Edition) and Issue #93 (Premium Edition). What was this dastardly link that AOL decided that was too dangerous for you to see? What were they trying to protect you from? Alien beings? Bird Flu? West Nile Virus? Nope. It was a link to a site we were trying to warn you about. Well, it's easier to show you than to tell you - so here is the article with the link that AOL used as the basis for its censorship:



Dave Wants To Know About "Internet Opinion Group"
What do you know about Internet Opinion Group? They offer free software in exchange for information about ones self, etc. Wondered if they were a spyware type company?

Our Answer
We think the old adage "there's no such thing as a free lunch" applies. This company offers "free" software in exchange for information about yourself all right. PERSONAL information. Very personal. Like your home address, your phone number, your credit card information, and more. Who are these people? Why would you trust them in the first place?
This is really scary! It is basically a way to get as much personal info as they possibly can and make you apply (and be accepted for) credit cards. I don't know about you, but it would not be worth a piece of software to give up so much personal info and AGREE they can share with anyone they want regardless of what software they want to "give" me free. I am sure the price in the end would be much higher than I'd want to pay!

Look at the following information from their "Privacy Policy" :

"...What does "complete" exactly mean?
By "completing" an offer, you are fulfilling the requirements outlined on the pop-up window that comes up when you click on an offer. For credit card offers, you must be approved for and activate that credit card to "complete" the offer.*
When our sponsors report to us that you completed their offers, your Account will be updated accordingly. This will generally take 6 to 8 weeks.

Use of Personal Information
InternetOpinionGroup.com may always use and share with others your personal information:

InternetOpinionGroup.com may also use personal information for any marketing and survey purpose on behalf of itself and its affiliates and subsidiaries. InternetOpinionGroup.com may disclose personal information to third party agents and independent contractors that help us conduct our marketing and survey efforts. Further, InternetOpinionGroup.com may disclose personal information to other companies in connection with marketing efforts including but not limited to direct marketing, which may have no relationship to InternetOpinionGroup.com. Finally, if InternetOpinionGroup.com or any of its assets are acquired by or merged with another entity, member information will be one of the transferred assets. ..."
NEXT and probably the worse of all (since other countries have different laws regarding privacy and personal info):

"...Location of Data and Security
Your information may be stored and processed in the United States or any other country in which InternetOpinionGroup.com or its affiliates, subsidiaries or agents maintain facilities, and by using this Site, you consent to any such transfer of information outside of your country. ..."

I think you should RUN away from this site as fast as you can. Hopefully you have not given up any personal information to these people. It appears anyone who signs up for this receives "free software" in exchange for personal information and promises to sign-up for "credit cards". We can imagine the quantities of email that one might have to endure by surrendering personal information to this company and ALLOWING them to share it with anyone they like.
 

If you look at that article you'll see that we used the link to Internet Opinion Group (Red Link) as Dave included it in his question. We were not, obviously promoting that site at all, in fact, we were warning all our readers about it. AOL censored over 20,000 of our newsletters because of this one link and prevented or tried to prevent you from learning about something that could seriously endanger your privacy. AOL's censorship, disguised as protection, prevented paying subscribers (Premium) from receiving something they paid for and free subscribers from getting something they asked for.
We can learn from history that censorship almost always begins as a benign attempt to "protect" citizens from something. At least that is how it is presented. AOL's protectionism is nothing more than cloaked censorship and it is getting worse all the time. You don't believe that AOL is big on protectionism? Just take a look at their puerile television advertising. These advertisements are obviously geared to those with a fifth-grade education. Their condescending approach to customers and potential customers is obvious. Their commercials are ridiculous. If AOL wanted to better serve their customers they would improve their infrastructure, hire more forward-looking management, and provide better, faster Internet service to customers -- rather than piling on more and more censorship disguised as protection and providing them with arguably the worst support in the industry.

This censorship by AOL ended up costing us quite a bit of money as we had to re-send supplemental newsletters to 20,000+ AOL users on Friday and Saturday. Money we should not have had to spend; money we could ill-afford to spend -- but were forced to spend because of AOL's censorship policy
We have an obligation to our subscribers and therefore made the decision to re-send a supplemental newsletter. We wanted to do all we could to make sure that those who paid for InfoAve Premium received it and those who signed-up for and presumably wanted their copy of InfoAve Free Edition got it as well. We could ill-afford to spend the extra money but we are committed to providing our subscribers with that they paid and/or what they asked for.
To be fair we had some mail server problems last Friday. That combined with other ISPs adding more censorship (spam filters) wreaked havoc with last Friday's newsletters. AOL isn't the only ISP that censors its customers email under the guise of protection. But, AOL's ridiculous and arbitrary censorship of our newsletter because of one URL (link) is look into the future and how things will be for all of us if censorship is not stopped and stopped now.
One of these days, an ISP is going to censor an email addressed to someone very wealthy and very important and that someone is going to file a huge class-action lawsuit (AOL is lucky we're not the litigious type). When a big ISP gets hammered with a multi-billion dollar class action suit and loses, that will be the end of forced Internet censorship.
In my opinion, AOL should be more concerned with its lagging technology and poor public image than it is with obfuscating the fact that AOL continues to rank near the bottom of Internet Service Providers. They should spend money upgrading technology, giving customers better service, and giving customers their money's worth rather than dumping millions into running ridiculous television commercials and censoring its customers private email - disguising it as "protection". Indeed AOL demonstrates again and again its complete disregard for its customers by charging fees well-above the national average, while providing Internet service well below the national average.
Over 20,000 AOL customers didn't get our newsletter last Friday because AOL censored it. And why did they censor it? Because of a link to a site we wanted you to be aware of and wanted you to avoid. Censorship disguised as protection is still censorship and the only good censorship is none at all. Your email is your email. It does NOT belong to your ISP. You may have to deal with spam on your own terms but at least you'll be getting all your mail not just the mail that your ISP decides you can have.
You are all adults. You don't need another big brother. You should be telling your ISP -- in no uncertain terms -- that if they continue to censor your email in any way you are going to switch to an ISP who respects your right to make your own decisions and who respects your intelligence. That you're switching to an ISP who recognizes that email addressed to you is your property and that filtering unwanted email is your responsibility and not the ISP's.

Censorship in any form is not a service or a benefit even though it may be cleverly marketed as such. History is replete with governments who successfully "marketed" censorship to the masses as a benefit or a service necessary for the security and safety of the individual or society. One thing you can be sure of: where censorship is allowed to grow, freedom will wither.
Are you ready to take the responsibility for your own email and tell your ISP you don't want them censoring your email? Or are you going to let this new digital censorship grow out of control? It's your call. Only you can change it.

The Pharmer in The Dell

Just when we thought that Dell was returning to a more consumer-oriented mode and being responsive to its customers like it once was, we discovered something new about Dell. Those of you who read and responded to Dell based on our "Rant" of a few months ago, will be pleased to learn that Dell withdrew its advertisements from adware and spyware programs. The public outcry from you and many others forced their hand. I suppose it was embarrassing to whomever made the asinine decision to subsidize the scourges of the Internet by paying to advertise with them, but it was probably the very bad P.R. that forced Dell to end its substantial patronage of adware and spyware programs. As far as we know, Dell no longer buys advertising from adware or spyware companies.

But, before you break out the champagne and caviar and prepare to celebrate another blow to spyware and adware, you'd better read what follows. For, if you thought placing advertisements and Dell subsidizing the miscreants who pander adware and spyware was bad, wait until you read what Dell is doing now.

We have learned from numerous sources that Dell is pre-installing MyWay Speedbar or MyWebSearch on its new computers. Worse, it's trying to make customers believe that this is an "enhancement". In this case the term "enhancement" is a not a euphemism, it's flat-out prevarication. A search bar that shows you one and a half screens of advertisements disguised as relevant search results is no "enhancement". If you want to see how far Dell has gone with this, you'll want to visit http://dell.myway.com/ (MyWay, MyWay Speedbar, MyWebSearch, MySearch, FunWebProducts, SmileyCentral, et. al. are all owned by Ask Jeeves). And, trust me, this is not just me blowing in the wind. If you remember we did a pretty good workup on Ask Jeeves and its questionable marketing methods and products. You can read this exposé at http://thundercloud.net/infoave/askjeeves-rant.htm

Additionally, we understand that Dell is now setting the new computer's home page to http://dell.myway.com/ or some variation thereof and make it very difficult for the purchaser to change it by using a registry hook (more about that later). Now we like you people a whole bunch but we weren't prepared to call up Dell and order a $1200.00 PC just to see what else Dell installs. But, given the MyWebSearch, MySearch and MyWay fiasco, it's a good bet that some of Ask Jeeves other goodies (FunWebProducts) are finding their way onto new PCs.

Now whether or not these products qualify as adware or spyware is arguable. We've clearly shown that SmileyCentral is, at best, adware. Ben Edelman has clearly shown that Ask Jeeves and its FunWebProducts are not above sneaky installations (let me point out that Ask Jeeves denies this and blames it on errant, affiliates, uh huh). We've shown as well as Ben Edelman that Ask Jeeves targets kids and provides some very juicy content (if one were a pre-pubescent boy) which most agree would not be good general fare for the young children. I'm talking about the infamous "PopularScreenSaver's Bikini Babes" (PopularScreenSavers is yet another arm of Ask Jeeves' FunWebProducts). Not only is the term "Babes" offensive to women who would rather not be thought of as sexual object, but young woman displaying their wares in bikinis with no tops is not the kind of thing that should be pandered to children via kids sites. Ya think?

Be that as it may, there are other things wrong with Dell installing questionable software like MyWebSearch, MyWay on new computers. It's unnecessary for one thing. It's not an enhancement, if anything it is problematic. Here's why:

1. It's a fact that MyWebSearch, MySearch (and all its other incarnations) are detected and removed by most good anti-spyware software. We know that Spybot Search and Destroy and SpySweeper (Webroot) detect and remove MyWebSearch. The last time we used Microsoft's Windows Anti-Spyware (which we no longer recommend) it detected and removed MyWebSearch. Many other anti-spyware programs we've tried also detect and remove it.
2. There are numerous reports on the Internet about problems uninstalling MyWebSearch (etc.) via the Control Panel's Add or Remove Programs applet. In fact some of these are on Dell's own forum. This article by John Leydon of The Register makes several good points. And, Dell's defense of its latest marketing blunder seems rather illogical. Basically, their defense is: "If you don't like it turn it off". Comments from a Webmaster forum, give you some insight into how legitimate Webmasters feel about MyWay/MyWebSearch and some of the nasty tricks they use.
3. There are many references on the Web of people having problems with or uninstalling MyWebSearch as a quick search using Google shows . Ben Edelman exposes Ask Jeeves/FunWebProducts/MyWebSearch in one of his typical, flawlessly researched articles. This is a must read.
4. Dell apparently installs a what's called a "hook" into the Registry so if you try to uninstall MyWebSearch (or MyWay, MySearch) it comes back when you reboot. For references and examples of this read the information here.

It doesn't take long to learn that Ask Jeeves' MyWebSearch, MySearch, FunWebProducts, and MyWay are certainly not enhancements. But, Dell wants you to think it is. And you know why, course. Money, Money, Money. Ask Jeeves, still limping along on its once good reputation sold Dell a bill of goods - in other words they paid Dell a lot of money to look the other way. Ask Jeeves, will do anything to try to catch Google. But, Google didn't buy their way to the top by installing questionable products on your computer. And, Google's toolbar is not recognized by anyone that we know of as spyware/adware/hijacker or worse. But, Ask Jeeves' MyWay Speedbar, MyWebSearch (MySearch) tool bar sure is. Just do a search for MyWay Speedbar + spyware or MyWebSearch + spyware and see what happens. And most good anti-spyware programs will detect and remove these items but not Google's toolbar. Google toolbar does no harm. Ask Jeeves' MyWay Speedbar, MyWebSearch and FunWebProducts? Well just read our rant .

Dell has often stated that spyware generates the most calls to its Support Center. So, either Dell has some very greedy but stupid executives or they were sold a complete bill-of-goods by Ask Jeeves' executives. One thing is for sure. Ask Jeeves must have paid Dell a huge sum of money to get Dell to make this brainless move. Now, Ask Jeeves has its MyWay, (or MyWebSearch, MySearch) on every new Dell Dimension and Inspiron that Dell ships. I noticed too, that Dell puts this stuff on the low-end models which are the most likely to be adversely affected by unnecessary start-up programs - but which, I imagine, because of price, are the biggest sellers.

Now all this is bad enough - but an announcement made recently by Dell really makes sad commentary on a once consumer-responsive American company. Just read this article. When I did, knowing what I know about Dell sleeping with Ask Jeeves, I swore I'll never buy another Dell again. Between the two of us and our kids we've purchased seven new Dells in the past 4 years. This might be just a drop-in-the-bucket to Dell, but if enough of you are as outraged as we are, Dell is going to wish it would have Asked Jeeves a few more questions before taking their money.

Dell is installing MyWay, MyWebSearch on its new computers and calling it an enhancement. Most anti-spyware removes what Dell calls an "enhancement". Dell decides to start a "Geek Squad" of its own, using remote computer access and contracted employees, to bring Dell support to consumers' homes. Some of the issues they address as causing a lot of computer woes are adware, spyware and virus. Now, for a fee, Dell will assist you in removing adware, spyware, junkware, viruses, etc.. Huh? They put some junk on your new computer before you ever fired it up and want you to pay them to take it off. That's what it seems like to me.

It's time to let Dell know what you think. A few months ago they were advertising with spyware and adware companies until someone caught them with their little digital fingers in the pie. They quickly changed directions. A few month later they're back at it again. Only this time, they are trying to pull one over on their customers. Dell is actually calling something an "enhancement" that most good anti-spyware programs remove. And, if you buy a new Dell Dimension or Inspiron, it's going to affect you too.

Write to Dell and tell them what you think. Let them know that as long as they are going to pump your computer full of questionable "enhancements" you're not going to buy a Dell. Period. It may come as surprise to Dell, but there are some pretty good computers being built that don't have the name "Dell" on them. Click here to let them know you don't want want a pharmer in your Dell. You don't want MyWay, MyWebSearch, or any of its other clones on pharming on your new computer. If buying a Dell means having a pharmer in your Dell, you don't want one.

Dell does seem to respond quickly to bad press and user dissatisfaction. When they moved their Dell Support Center to India and outsourced the jobs, they quickly retreated back to the good, old USA, after being soundly criticized for this dumb move. (Read more about this here.)

All this makes me wonder just what kind of greedy ignorance is driving Dell these days? Don't they care anymore or are their executives really this stupid? Don't these people do any research? Don't they do their homework before they go and make such ludicrous decisions?

It scares me to think that we have supposedly well-educated executives running major corporations who make decisions like these. Terrible, ill-conceived, flat-out dumb decisions. It's what happens when money is the only consideration. Now, Dell will have to fumble around and figure out how to keep the fallout from their latest blunder from further discrediting their already declining image. Maybe they ought to Ask Jeeves for the answer. Ya think?

Once again Dell proves it is the bottom line that drives their company above all else. It appears to me that Dell thinks its customers are mindless and wouldn't know a rainforest from a Pop Tart Do they really think their customers are that naive? They aren't going to buy the pitch that MyWay, MyWebSearch, etc. are "enhancements". No, not when so many well-respected anti-spyware programs remove these items, umm, I mean "enhancements".

As long as they think that way they show that they care more about money than the do about customers. I have news for Dell. Computer consumers are getting more savvy by the day. If Dell keeps thinking that way, they won't have either customers or money. And, then Dell might have to Ask Jeeves for help. I hope so. It would serve them right. You know, maybe those two deserve each other.

I for one will never buy another Dell computer. Our company won't buy another Dell computer, and maybe now, you'll think twice before buying one too.

I simply don't trust Dell anymore.

Nitrogen Blue Skies

"Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree." (Emily Bronte)

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." (John Lennon)

I woke before dawn this morning. It was chilly and very quiet; my favorite time of day to work. As I always do, I made a cup of coffee, sat down at my computer and began to answer the business email that had come while I slept. A few hours later I noticed that first brightening of the eastern sky; dawn was approaching.

I continued to answer email and browse the Web. As always, I was looking for news and ideas for Cloudeight and Information Avenue. I should have spent more time browsing and reading but just then morning broke and shattered the bonds of night, I glanced out my window at the brand new day; I was captivated. To my surprise autumn had suddenly arrived. What happened to summer? Was it autumn already? It must have crept in on cat's paws. That serene autumn scene had probably been there for days but I had not stopped long enough to notice.

The new day dawned beautifully; a picture-perfect autumn day. A dazzling, nitrogen-blue sky and leaves of gold, red, and orange, brilliant and resplendent beneath it, captured my thoughts and my heart. The scene compelled me to reflection. And, at once my reflections made me happy and sad.

All the things that seemed so important just moments before: The spyware, the spam, the email that had yet to be answered, the bills, the cynicism, and the Internet, dissolved in the bright October sun. This bucolic autumn morning took my breath away and its tranquility transformed me in an instant.

For the first time this morning I realized that summer was gone. It had come and gone on gossamer wings and I barely took notice. And, thinking back, I cannot remember spring either. It too had swept silently past me.

I became melancholy as I thought of those wonderful spring and summer days that I had missed. All the spring flowers, the greening of the trees, the smell of fresh-cut grass, and the sound of children playing outside reveling in spring's warmth after a dark, cold winter. I thought too of something that novelist Dean Koontz wrote: "Everything I do I rush through so I can do something else". The more we rush though life the more life rushes past us.

I can remember only one memorable summer day. It wasn’t even a summer-like day. It was cold and rainy. It was a day, though, that was special because I shared it with a dear friend. He had traveled nearly a thousand miles just to say hello. We sat here in my garage, with the door open, shelling peanuts and watching it rain. It was one of those simple times that mean so much. A storybook day that now seems so far away.

This autumn, the beauty of the season will not escape me. I will slow down and take time to enjoy all the things that make this season memorable. The simple things like high school and college football, the sound of dry leaves crunching underfoot, the apple cider, the big, fat, cake donuts, the musky smell of the autumn woods, the crisp, clean, October air, the pumpkins, the ghouls and goblins who come knocking on my door, the trees adorned in a splendid mosaic of color, and the quiet, solitary walks down a favorite trail that winds serenely through the colors and smells of fall under the canopy of nitrogen-blue skies.

So, I will take a some time away from the spam, the spyware, the Internet, the computer problems, the software problems, the updates, the upgrades, the downgrades, the phishing, the subscriptions, the bounced newsletters, the complaints, the scoundrels, the "blogs", the tips, tricks, geeks, gurus and all the rest in the "cyber world", and I will appreciate the gift of a beautifully real autumn. I will take time to experience the joy and reflection that this season brings. Autumn looks exactly the way it should. It is perfectly painted for all to enjoy and all we have to do is take the time to look.

I hope each of you will take the time to slow down and enjoy the change of seasons. Take the time to enjoy all the beauty that surrounds you. Each of us has been granted but a short stay upon this Earth and we have only a limited number of seasons to enjoy. In the blink of an eye, autumn will be gone.

I am reminded once again that the smallest pleasures make the greatest treasures. I wonder how many more of these small pleasures I would have had if only I had taken the time to look.

Color of the Wind
By Thundercloud & Eightball

Breaking hills, horizon sings.
Mixing night and hazy dawn.
All across the land a breeze
Rustles restless through the trees.

What color is the wind, I wonder?
I look upon the lake's soft swells.
What color is the wind that blows?
It seems to me that no one knows.

We cannot see the wind that curls
Around the forest trees in swirls;
Yet we know the wind is real
For its effects we see and feel. 

So it is with God: The Hand of God
We cannot see, touches you
And touches me.

The New Politically Correct Internet

I was just thinking that now that the elections are over and I'm able to actually watch television without seeing those awful political advertisements (which have now convinced me that all politicians are liars) we must be back in our "politically correct" mode. Right? You know the mode where we call fat people "big" and short people "vertically challenged" and that sort of thing.

Well, folks, political correctness has now spilled over into the Internet. Now, the Internet is the last place you'd expect to see political correctness. Am I right? But, I swear it's true. I just read an article where a famous software maker (McAfee) is afraid to call spyware "spyware". They call spyware "potentially unwanted programs" PUP. Hmmm, now that's interesting. Next time I take out the garbage I'll call it "potentially unwanted waste" (PUW)? Or, should I call spoiled food "potentially unwanted cuisine" (PUC)?

Anyway, here's the paragraph from the article that got my mind-wheels spinning:
"McAfee prefers to not even use the word spyware because some online marketing firms, including Claria, which makes the Gator eWallet and other software for targeted ad presentation, bristle at the term. McAfee uses the term "potentially unwanted programs" instead." (For the full article see http://www.ebcvg.com/articles.php?id=332 ).

Did you notice that even the author of the article calls "Claria" an online marketing firm? That's like calling a burglar a "night-time salvage operator". Why can't we just call a spade a spade? Why not say "online adware (and suspected spyware) publisher Claria"? Well you could, but you see Claria has reaped heap big profits from its activities and has plenty of money to throw at lawyers. We don't, that's for sure. So, we'll just safely call their products "adware" and let you draw your own conclusions. Oh, in case you need more information about Claria/Gator/GAIN please read the information here.

Now that sounds like potentially unwanted software to me! Are we now to refer to "viruses" as "Potentially Undesirable Self-replicating Software"? Actually, I think, political correctness has arrived on the 'Net and we're bound to see it more and more. Once it was OK to refer to new computer users as "lamerz" (get it? Lame? Lamer? Lamest?). That's what they called me when I was new to computers. And you know what? I sure didn't like being a lamerz! It motivated me. I learned everything I could about computers so I wouldn't be a lowly lamerz. A little while later the term "Lamerz" softened to "Newbie". I think "Newbie" has a bad sound to it, though, don't you? I have coined a new more politically correct term for this new era of Internet political correctness. I will call them "time-challenged users". Or how about "Embryonic Computer Geeks"? Not much motivation there. Nothing to ruffle any feathers either. So if you're an embryonic computer geek, you'll most likely remain one. Heaven forbid anyone call someone a "lamerz" these days.

The term "hacker" comes to mind too. "Hacker" conjures up all sorts of nasty things! We should call them "Online Security Testers" or "Private Security Investigators". And "software pirates"? That brings visions of billowing sails and eye-patches. People who use unlicensed software should not be called "software pirates". That's a no-no in our new politically correct Internet. We'll call them "Potentially Unlicensed Software Users". And, Hormel (the company that makes "Spam" the Undiscovered Meat) is up in arms about the Internet use of its trademark as a term for unsolicited commercial email (spam). So, we'll call spam "Potentially Unwanted Email".

Even the United States Senate is probably not going to pass either of the two spyware acts passed by the House of Representatives. It appears the spyware (excuse me the "Potentially Unwanted Software") makers have lobbyists (Influence Purveyors) at work. According to the Federal Trade Commission we don't need new laws anyway; we just need to enforce the ones we already have. Seems the "Potentially Unwanted Software" makers have their fingers in many pies.

And can you imagine the acronyms we'll all have to get used to on the new politically correct Internet? PUP (Potentially Unwanted Programs)PUSS (Potentially Unwanted Self-replicating Software)TCU (Time Challenged User)ECG (Embryonic Computer Geek)OST (Online Security Tester)PSI (Private Security Investigator)PUSU (Potentially Unlicensed Software Operators)PUE (Potentially Unwanted Email)

After reviewing those acronyms I think I'll call a spade a spade and take my chances with the politically correct crowd. I'd prefer to hear it straight too. Heck, if I'm fat I want someone to say "Hey, you're fat!". If I have spyware on my computer, I want McAfee to tell me "You have spyware on your computer!"

Well, you'll have to excuse me. I'm going to eat a Spam sandwich while I delete all the PUE in my email.