GetNetWise Project Finds Broad Consumer Confusion Around Unauthorized Annoyware and Pop-Up Software, Launches Public Education Campaign.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 13, 2004

The Internet Education Foundation (IEF), a non-profit organization dedicated to user-empowerment on the Internet, announced today that its GetNetWise coalition is kicking off a consumer educational effort about the risks of deceptive and intrusive technologies, dubbed by the Federal Trade Commission as spyware and annoyware. These devious pieces of software, when surreptitiously installed on a user's computer without meaningful consent, dupe consumers into believing legitimate Web sites, software companies or their own ISP are serving up annoying ads. Recently, The Wall Street Journal accurately represented widespread consumer sentiment by stating that, "consumers are gradually catching on, and many of them are angry."

According to a recent survey of more than 1400 consumers,(1) 64 percent of those with this type of software installed on their computers responded that they did not knowingly provide consent to have pop-ups sent to their computers by the technology company. More specifically, the survey found that over 40 percent of those surveyed believed that the underlying Web site was responsible for the pop-up ads and that the underlying Web site gave permission or was paid money for such pop-up ads. Also, the survey found that a third said that the appearance of pop-up ads causes them to have a less favorable opinion of the underlying Web site.

"Our mission is to ensure that Internet users have safe, constructive and educational online experiences," said Tim Lordan, staff director of the Internet Education Foundation's GetNetWise project, a public service developed by internet industry corporations and public interest organizations to help ensure that internet users have safe, constructive, and educational or entertaining online experiences. "Our aim is to let consumers know that they have options to prevent and removing these confusing technologies from their computer. We aim to provide them with resources and information they need to stay safe on the Internet."

"This is a problem that requires a great deal of public education about relatively esoteric computer functions. The GetNetWise coalition will raise the bar in educating consumers about how to avoid the negative impact of annoyware," said Wendy Tazelaar, vice president, compliance manager of Wells Fargo Online and a partner in the GetNetWise project. "Consumers have the right to know where this technology originates and how to get it off their computers."

About GetNetWise

The GetNetWise coalition wants Internet users to be only "one click away" from the resources they need to make informed decisions about their and their family's use of the Internet. GetNetWise is a broad-based campaign managed and built by the Internet Education Foundation and is hosted by some of the most recognized names on the Internet today, including America Online, Inc., AT&T, Microsoft, Wells Fargo and Verizon. GetNetWise is supported by a steering committee made up of the following leading organizations: ALA, Amazon.com, CDT, Comcast, Earthlink, Inc., RIAA, Visa USA and Yahoo!, and advised by a diverse advisory board. For more information, please visit http://www.getnetwise.org/spotlight/ and http://www.GetNetWise.org.

(1) The full survey was just released in comments published by the

FTC (Federal Trade Commission) at: http://www.ftc.gov/os/

comments/spyware/040323hertzllbeanwithpopupsurvey.pdf (Due to

the length of this URL, it may be necessary to copy and paste 

this hyperlink into your Internet browser's URL address

field.)