Intermix Media settles with California

While you may have never heard of Intermix Media but you probably know about their popular MySpace service.  In July, Intermix was purchased by Rupert Murdochs, New Corp for $580 million USD.

Many of you may have had less than ideal experiences with Intermix. Their software included programs like Incredifind, KeenValue, Grip Toolbar and PerfectNav.   In April, NY Governor-elect, Eliot Spitzer sued Intermix because they, “Surreptitiously installed spyware and adware”
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This week the People of the State of California settled its own lawsuit against Intermix for installing spyware on computers without a users consent. Intermix agreed to pay $300,000 and promised to stop any deceptive practices. Our friend and fellow spyware crusader Ben Edelman served as an expert witness and reports on his experiences. 

Remarkably, I also found evidence of ongoing Intermix installations, despite Intermix's 2005 promise to "permanently discontinue distribution of its adware, redirect and toolbar programs." For example, in my testing of October 2006 and again just yesterday, the Battling Bones screensaver (among various others) was still available on Screensavershot.com (a third-party site). Installing Battling Bones gives users Intermix's Incredifind too. Even worse, this installation proceeds without any disclosure to the user of the Intermix software that would be installed.

Click here to read more from Ben.