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Windows Defender and Security Essentials will now automatically delete annoying cleaners
To prevent people from purchasing unnecessary software, Microsoft has now taken action against cleaners and optimization software that use alarming, coercive messages to scare customers into buying a premium version of the same program.
There has been an increase in free versions of programs that purport to scan computers for various errors, and then use alarming, coercive messages to scare customers into buying a premium version of the same program. The paid version of these programs, usually called cleaner or optimizer applications, purportedly fixes the problems discovered by the free version. We find this practice problematic because it can pressure customers into making unnecessary purchase decisions.
Typically these softwares are free to download and when used, it finds all finds all kinds of issues that need a fix. They alert end-users with alarming messages, pressuring people to purchase a premium version of the software, to fix the issues.
Microsoft updated their evaluation criteria for unwanted software.
“We use the evaluation criteria to determine what programs are identified as malware and unwanted software. In the future, programs that display coercive messaging will be classified as unwanted software, detected, and removed,” Microsoft’s Barak Shein explains.
The move is in addition to earlier steps Microsoft has taken to regulate cleaner and optimizer programs including requiring them to provide users with detailed information about what purportedly needs to be fixed following a scan. "Programs must not display alarming or coercive messages or misleading content to pressure you into paying for additional services or performing superfluous actions", Microsoft explained. Odds are, you've seen these types of programs in practice.
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fantaskarsef
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Joined: 2014-07-21
Senior Member
Posts: 12436
Joined: 2014-07-21
#5515987 Posted on: 02/01/2018 10:39 AM
War of the malwarez?
Sounds a little fishy to me that even if a user installs such a software, well aware that it's asking for a premium yet you are fine with the free version, m$ still forces the uninstall onto the user (I did not read about any user defined rules you can change or exceptions you can set). That forcing the software environment sounds to me like what Apple does with their stuff (I have only heard about how that works), once again taking control of stuff that once belonged to the user's sphere of influence (like windows updates).
War of the malwarez?
Sounds a little fishy to me that even if a user installs such a software, well aware that it's asking for a premium yet you are fine with the free version, m$ still forces the uninstall onto the user (I did not read about any user defined rules you can change or exceptions you can set). That forcing the software environment sounds to me like what Apple does with their stuff (I have only heard about how that works), once again taking control of stuff that once belonged to the user's sphere of influence (like windows updates).
alanm
Senior Member
Posts: 10492
Joined: 2004-05-10
Senior Member
Posts: 10492
Joined: 2004-05-10
#5515988 Posted on: 02/01/2018 10:40 AM
Just now? Would have thought they were doing that from the beginning.
Just now? Would have thought they were doing that from the beginning.
Singleton99
Senior Member
Posts: 1046
Joined: 2012-04-18
Senior Member
Posts: 1046
Joined: 2012-04-18
#5515990 Posted on: 02/01/2018 10:42 AM
A part of me still believes that people who fall for this deserve what they get to some extent. A form of natural selection, if you will.
However, I do still lean towards support for this decision by Microsoft, as I absolutely loathe such scams.
Maybe they should also do the same for RAM cleaners/optimizers as well.
When i first started with computers and the internet some 15yrs ago i did fall for this and also paid money as i didn't know any better at that time and thought that said programs (Registry Mechanic it think it was called) would make my PC run faster, there will be many many novice users out there that fall for these programs everyday and believe like i did that they are fixing problems that don't really exist ,or can be fixed from within windows itself .
A part of me still believes that people who fall for this deserve what they get to some extent. A form of natural selection, if you will.
However, I do still lean towards support for this decision by Microsoft, as I absolutely loathe such scams.
Maybe they should also do the same for RAM cleaners/optimizers as well.
When i first started with computers and the internet some 15yrs ago i did fall for this and also paid money as i didn't know any better at that time and thought that said programs (Registry Mechanic it think it was called) would make my PC run faster, there will be many many novice users out there that fall for these programs everyday and believe like i did that they are fixing problems that don't really exist ,or can be fixed from within windows itself .
cryohellinc
Senior Member
Posts: 3404
Joined: 2014-10-20
Senior Member
Posts: 3404
Joined: 2014-10-20
#5516003 Posted on: 02/01/2018 11:20 AM
A part of me still believes that people who fall for this deserve what they get to some extent. A form of natural selection, if you will.
However, I do still lean towards support for this decision by Microsoft, as I absolutely loathe such scams.
Maybe they should also do the same for RAM cleaners/optimizers as well.
"A form of natural selection, if you will. " That's just a pathetic, childish and ignorant comment. Next time you visit a doctor, he will grin and laugh in your face saying something in a line of - "Oh you got ill? Too bad. Hahaha. Should have studied medicine, you fool! "
Not everyone is tech-savvy, as a lot of people browse the internet without any protection and are absolutely oblivious to potential threats.
A part of me still believes that people who fall for this deserve what they get to some extent. A form of natural selection, if you will.
However, I do still lean towards support for this decision by Microsoft, as I absolutely loathe such scams.
Maybe they should also do the same for RAM cleaners/optimizers as well.
"A form of natural selection, if you will. " That's just a pathetic, childish and ignorant comment. Next time you visit a doctor, he will grin and laugh in your face saying something in a line of - "Oh you got ill? Too bad. Hahaha. Should have studied medicine, you fool! "
Not everyone is tech-savvy, as a lot of people browse the internet without any protection and are absolutely oblivious to potential threats.
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Member
Posts: 66
Joined: 2006-09-23
Not sure how I feel about this.
On the one hand I've regularly found these programs on people's pc and they do induce panic in non-techy people. Sometimes inducing them to purchasing unnecessary software.
On the other hand, this is Microsoft actively removing software from your pc that it doesn't think is appropriate. What's to stop them from deciding the same for other types of software in the future. "This emulator can run pirated software - deleted" "This bittorrent program can be used for downloading copyrighted material - deleted"
Slippery slope.