Comments on: Clueless about cookies or spyware?

You're not alone. Spyware-removal tools that list different kinds of unwanted software may confuse people as much as they protect.

[Prndll]

Promoting ignorance.....

Come on!

The only way to fix these problems with spyware, adware, viri, worms, etc. is to do something to educate users what things are and how they are. If this becomes too much for a user, then maybe that person should not be online. I want to know who earthlink thinks it is by creating "tracking" cookies for their customers. This idea is insane. This is enough for me to decide NOT to use Earthlink. My ISP does not have the right to access my computer...especially like this.

The truth is....
NOT all cookies are bad. Some cookies are good and helpfull. The problem is that the user does not know the differance. The best thing to do with cookies is do "delete" anything that comes up on any kind of anti-spyware program. Regardless.

Unless you want to completely turn off the ability to download cookies, just delete anything that these programs turn up.

Come on! How hard could this really be?

[Prndll]

Promoting ignorance.....

Come on!

The only way to fix these problems with spyware, adware, viri, worms, etc. is to do something to educate users what things are and how they are. If this becomes too much for a user, then maybe that person should not be online. I want to know who earthlink thinks it is by creating "tracking" cookies for their customers. This idea is insane. This is enough for me to decide NOT to use Earthlink. My ISP does not have the right to access my computer...especially like this.

The truth is....
NOT all cookies are bad. Some cookies are good and helpfull. The problem is that the user does not know the differance. The best thing to do with cookies is do "delete" anything that comes up on any kind of anti-spyware program. Regardless.

Unless you want to completely turn off the ability to download cookies, just delete anything that these programs turn up.

Come on! How hard could this really be?

[Tom Collins]

Another opinion

As the product manager for Spyware Blocker at EarthLink, it probably isn't much of a surprise that I have a differing opinion of the issue discussed here. I've posted some comments and another perspective over on protectionblog.net There's no doubt that this is a topic that will come up repeatedly as online threats change and anti-spyware tools mature.

[Tom Collins]

Another opinion

As the product manager for Spyware Blocker at EarthLink, it probably isn't much of a surprise that I have a differing opinion of the issue discussed here. I've posted some comments and another perspective over on protectionblog.net There's no doubt that this is a topic that will come up repeatedly as online threats change and anti-spyware tools mature.