This is a form of spyware that checks for the integrity of the program version and CD. It allows only the original CD and hard drive it was installed on to use all of TurboTax's features." "Illegal software in the US accounts for 25 - 50%" of the programs installed onto computers. Because software piracy is such a big problem, many feel that programmers should do whatever necessary, within reason, to prevent piracy. As a result, few people argue against this form of spyware.
The most common and thus the most controversial type of spyware is used for gathering data on internet usage tendencies. "Companies track a user's web browsing and use this information to display correlating banner ads." This is the type of spyware that is commonly referred to as adware. .
The largest Adware Company is Gator, which was recently receiving so much negative press that they decided to change their name to Claria Corp. Claria Corp. has been a law abiding company using licensing agreements during the installation processes. By hitting the agree button, users are giving permission to have adware installed. Programmers "use their deceptive programming and lengthy license agreements to essentially trick individuals into complete agreement." Which as a result makes everything perfectly legal; "there are absolutely no laws that ban any of the[se] actions" Because Claria has been using legitimate business practices, "Claria is. . .fighting to disassociate itself from the term "spyware." In recent weeks, it launched a legal offensive to divorce its name from the hated term . . . [Additionally] in response to a libel lawsuit, anti-spyware Company PC Pitstop has settled with [Claria] and pulled Web pages critical of [Claria], its practices and its software." Now Claria exclusively refers to itself as a behavioral marketing services company.
No matter what you call it, these programs are hated by the masses, "Spyware modules have been implicated in computer problems including system slowdown, Illegal Operation errors, browser crashes, and even the "Blue Screen of Death".