Google:A proposal to help fight deceptive Internet software

Google is looking for feedback on a standard they want to submit which will help "tackle" or fight dubiously installed software on your system - spyware. Clearly a cynical standpoint can be taken here; Google fights back at privacy advocates by highlighting how much good work they are doing for user privacy. However, on the other perspective you can see it as a good company doing good work for its users. Either way you look at it, it is a good measure and with Google's backing and name behind it we could see it having widespread adoption.

"At Google, we put a lot of thought into improving your online experience. We're alarmed by what we believe is a growing disregard for your rights as computer users. We've seen increasing reports of spyware and other applications that trick you in order to serve you pop-up ads, connect your modem to expensive toll numbers or hijack your browser from the site you're trying to visit.

We do not see this trend reversing itself. In fact, it is getting worse. As a provider of services and monetization for users, advertisers and publishers on the Internet, we feel a responsibility to be proactive about these issues. So, we have decided to take action. As a first step, we have outlined a set of principles we believe our industry should adopt and we're sharing them to foster discussion and help solve the problem. We intend to follow these guidelines ourselves with the applications we distribute (such as the Google Toolbar and Google Deskbar). And because we strongly believe these principles are good for the industry and users worldwide, we will encourage our current and prospective business partners to adopt them as well.

These guidelines are, by necessity, broad. Software creation and distribution are complex and the technology is continuously evolving. As a result, some useful applications may not comply entirely with these principles and some deceptive practices may not be addressed here. This document is only a start, and focuses on the areas of Internet software and advertising. These guidelines need to be continually updated to keep pace with ever-changing technology."

View: The Document / proposal (brief but to the point)