Apparent voyeurism

Do you believe Congress has acted sufficiently to prevent and punish producers of tracking malware?

Two years ago, university IT managers busted comScore for tricking students into installing tracking software packaged with a free Web-accelerator program. Students were often unaware that they were being watched. comScore has since discontinued the program, called MarketScore.

But comScore remains the only major online research company that partners with third-parties. Outside distributors bundle its surveillance software with desirable free programs like games or videos.

comScore’s software records every Web page visited. [including purchases]

comScore “…software is sneaking onto users’ computers without the user agreeing to receive it,” says Harvard University researcher Ben Edelman, at Forbes Magazine.