Bad, Software! Bad!

There's bad news for malicious software this morning. A new site launches today that seeks to inform consumers about “badware” which can be defined as spyware, malware, and deceptive adware. The site is called StopBadware.org and it's aim is to become a central clearinghouse for research on badware and those who spread it, and to become a focal point for developing collaborative, community-minded approaches to stopping badware.
StopBadware.org points out that the badware industry is big business, amounting to a $2 billion-a-year industry. They say, “It's the Wild West of aggressive marketing and an industry supported by shadowy online marketers, small application vendors, and website operators.”
“For too long, these companies have been able to hide in the shadows of the Internet,” says John Palfrey, who heads the Berkman Center of Internet & Society at Harvard Law School and is spearheading the project. “What we're after is a more accountable Internet.”
Google and Sun Microsystems are two of the corporate sponsors of this “Neighborhood Watch”. Consumer Reports WebWatch is serving as an unpaid special advisor. Even with the backing of these high-tech heavyweights, StopBadware.org is putting emphasis on creating a community by encouraging the public to get involved and report their encounters with badware.