Following Tuesday's
MediaDailyNews story "Spyware Researcher Issues Critical Report," 180solutions clarified that it does not incur any revenue from its deployment of double and hidden pop-ups.
Moreover, 180solutions co-founder and CEO Keith Smith says that the hidden pop-ups detected in the Edelman research report are devoid of any tags or codes that redirect to 180solutions or its
advertisers, commissions that ought be paid to other affiliates. Rather, Smith says that hidden pop-ups, or i-frames, are a function of the company's software program. He added that empty i-frames are
the only way to avoid the automatic deployment of another company's ad without effectively re-writing 180's entire software program.
Further, 180solutions said that it only uses double pop-ups
with Commission Junction's network, and hidden pop-ups with LinkShare's network.
Last month, LinkShare included an addendum to its anti-predatory advertising agreement that prohibits ad-supported
software companies from deploying double pop-ups with affiliate tags over merchant sites that were reached via direct means. Furthermore, regarding hidden pop-ups, LinkShare said it performed its own
testing following the Edelman report, in an attempt to identify the alleged redirected commissions, but could find no concrete proof.
"If it's true, we'll have to investigate it further," Stephen
Messer, founder and CEO of LinkShare told MediaDailyNews on Wednesday, "but [as yet] we cannot replicate it." Messer added that he has requested further "backup" research from Edelman, but so
far has not received it. "After all," he noted, "it's software. Could there be a problem? Maybe. Is it intentional? I won't know until I find it."
Messer compared LinkShare's problem to anti-virus
companies. He said that since ad-supported software companies are constantly modifying their practices, affiliate networks, like anti-virus companies, have to constantly react to what they do-until
Microsoft either effectively closes the desktop or the government bans ad-supported software. At the same time, he says that LinkShare doesn't want to shut down new innovations in e-commerce. He notes
that to date, 180solutions has been in compliance with all of LinkShare's regulations.