• by Wendy Davis , Staff Writer @wendyndavis, January 24, 2006

Consumer advocates have targeted adware for several years but, so far, the Federal Trade Commission has only taken action against smaller players. But this week, the Center for Democracy and Technology launched an attack on one of the largest players in the space--180solutions.

The 91-page complaint, which oozes with frustration at 180solutions, accuses the company of acting in a "brazenly reckless" manner in getting its ad-serving software on desktops. How so? 180solutions allegedly turns a blind eye to the fact that partner after partner arranges for 180solutions' adware to be installed on the computers of users that haven't given informed consent.

While the complaint says that 180solutions has responded to some concerns, the basic problem appears to be that it does so reactively. Meantime, new problems continue to arise because the fundamental business model doesn't discourage bad installations--at least according to the Center for Democracy and Technology, and to consultants like Eric Howes, who runs the anti-spyware Web site SpywareWarrior.com.

The Center for Democracy and Technology's move also raises questions about the future of adware. Some observers, like Howes and adware consultant Ben Edelman, maintain that few consumers really want adware on their computers. Therefore, they say, adware companies like 180solutions are forced into a business model that at least tacitly rewards trickery. "The only way they can get it on computers, so they can make money, is to sneak it on," Howes told The Minute this week.

Adware companies, of course, disagree. They maintain that they offer consumers a chance to receive search toolbars, coupons or other programs for free, provided they accept pop-up ads.

Perhaps both sides are partially right. It could be that a few people are willing to accept pop-ups in exchange for free software, but that far too many people who aren't willing to make that bargain are nonetheless finding their computers infected with adware.