For those who don't receive James Healan's Spyware Weekly newsletter, the item below appeared in today's issue. ___________________________________ AOL is Spyware By James Healan Many people go on about AOL's software being spyware. To be sure, I've heard hundreds of times that the advertising AOL members see often begins to reflect their style of web surfing. Someone who visits many car racing or hobbyist sites will notice that the AOL advertising tends to be car-related after a while. There is also the matter of some AOL software tampering with Internet Explorer security settings by adding an AOL web server to the "Trusted Zone". Still, I've never agreed that it was spyware - until now. AOL's newest software is specifically designed to be used as surveillance spyware. The intention, while misguided, is good. It is listed as a parental control and allows the "Master User" to monitor the internet usage of every other user. The software creates reports of other users' web surfing, emails and instant messaging activity. I don't know if it also takes screenshots. If it doesn't, that is just about the only feature missing that is found in most commercial spyware products. While this is billed as a "parental control", anyone could use this feature to spy on you if you use AOL. Anyone with the "Master" account's password can turn on this feature and spy on anyone else using that computer. This can even be done remotely, so the person doesn't have to be right there in the house. If you use AOL, you had better check to make sure someone isn't using it to spy on you.

Thanks, IronMan. I think you've just given the kids what they need to know to "hide" their tracks from the parents :-) Speaking of spyware in general, read this Two thirds of all PCs infected with spyware i_XpUser

I DO NOT!! use AOhelL (just didn't appeal to me), nor do I recommend it. At the same time, I will not go outta my way to discourage it. There are millions of above average pc users now who'd rather be bass fishing than surfing the net if not for AOL. One other thing lots of diehard AOL users are unaware of is the fact that there is a world (wide web) outside of AOL, and that you even can browse without AOL. Asking someone like that to ditch AOL cold turkey is like sending a guy with a lit candle into a pitch black room filled with gunpowder, you do not have to wait long for some firework display. This message was NOT approved by AOL.....;~) -- Always do what you are afraid to do --

Bassfishing...yeah,yeah,yeah

Actually, most internet service providers that have you use their own browser and web dialer are spyware. Good link XPuser!!!! Always looking for techs: http://www.protonic.com/volunteer.php?PHPSESSID=25e06d90d2153c5e0b49d9c798c3024d

Yeah I never understood why people insist on paying for a (s---ty) web browser infested with spyware and God knows what else,when you can gain access for free using other browsers. I'm sure the link XPU attached was very insightful but I prefer not to read it as I'm a bit tired of hearing about all these damn s---wares and Security exploits. Sorry if I sound a bit harsh but it kind of gets to me when people spend their hard earned money on deceptive software that breaches their privacy.