Spyware - the problem is not going away

[Keith]

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Thought Shapers have a couple of interesting podcasts with spyware/adware expert, Ben Edelman http://www.thoughtshapers.com

[Rich]

Just about to listen, but thought I'd post this link where all the separate parts are listed together. Looks like an interesting site.

It's definately not going away and some UK networks are still paying these affiliates.

(The listen now links are fault for part3, so use the audioblog player instead)

[Qui Gon Jinn]

Seems like "some" networks think that because we are being less vociferous about it .. the problem doesn t need attending to .. personally I feel everyone has had more than enough time to sort & perhaps time to start openly publishing offending merchants, networks & affiliates.

[jess1]

perhaps time to start openly publishing offending merchants, networks & affiliates

Keep in mind that for some merchants, they may still not be aware of spyware or what they need to look out for. Perhaps it would be a good time to have a bit of a recap first? But some where else as the threads here are so long. Perhaps just start a new thread. Or am I stating the bleedin obvious?
It will be interesting as even the savvy of the savvy has been cought off guard. Some thing like this would be useful where possible?
http://www.benedelman.org/scripts/vi...ecurity-111604

[Rich]

Keep in mind that for some merchants, they may still not be aware of spyware or what they need to look out for. Perhaps it would be a good time to have a bit of a recap first?[/url]

What do you think of these podcasts? While listening to them I was kind of hoping they would be simple enough, comprehensive enough and scary enough so as they could educate merchants.

Part 5 has now been posted and I agree with his conclusions. The only way to fix this problem, and others so as to ensure affiliate marketing the longest possible life, is for networks to be more accountable and show what they are doing for their 30%.

[Shane]

"start openly publishing offending merchants, networks & affiliates"

I agree.. more so on the networks and affiliates.. especially affiliates !! I am sure that one or two of us would be suprised just who was up to it and stealing our commissions from us all and merchants themselves

At the Affiliate summit in Vegas Ben showed how he tracks down and can even decrypt a multiple encrypted link to show the offending affiliate so really there is no place to hide

Personally I think the core responsibility lies with the network, the merchant in many cases hasn't got a clue what's going on with spyware (and in many cases just hasn't got a clue in general !! ) so the network should be the one protecting the merchant's interest and earning their 30% override by making sure the merchant pays not £1 extra in commission out to dodgy affiliates sending sales that aren't due to them etc.

But then again expecting some networks to do that is like expecting a hungry dog to guard a freshly cooked chicken on the table...

[drivetowin]

Yeah I agree with Shane - it is time to out the offending networks and affiliates- everyone has had time to put their house in order on this.

I accept that at any given moment any network is likely to have a small handful of affiliates using spyware, even the most vigilant aren't going to be able to snuff it out totally all of the time, but it is those networks which blatantly condone it which should be outed - and as Shane said there will be some real surprises when people realise some of the affiliate names that use it...

[Supercod]

I accept that at any given moment any network is likely to have a small handful of affiliates using spyware, even the most vigilant aren't going to be able to snuff it out totally all of the time

Yeap and while we are keeping a look out, it wouldn't do any harm if you know of an Affiliate or spyware that is using even 1 link to say. We can take action once they have been investigated. As it stands we have got a pretty good system for detection however the problems lies in that you can't tell until they start doing something and at that point they are on the Network (all be it not for long) but I have seen a worrying trend in a new technique that's being used, thankfully not by many Affiliates where they are buying links from banned spyware companies and directing the traffic to there own site before forwarding it on to the Merchant and that's bloody hard to track but not impossible however takes more then just stats to track that down. However the good news is UK Affiliate Marketing wise is no where near as bad as what the USA has, however we still got loads of room for improvement here in the UK.

[Rich]

buying links from banned spyware companies and directing the traffic to there own site before forwarding it on to the Merchant

If you mean affiliates just showing a page from their site and not forcing the user thru an affiliate link, then I don't think thats so much of a problem as it doesn't overwrite cookies unless the user clicks the link.

If you mean sending a user to their site which then forces a cookie to be set, I wouldn't have listed it as a new problem and the positive side of it is, once detected, you have a page on their site that shows they are forcing cookies to be set and that is probably an easier invalid activity to prove than the use of spyware.

As for well known affiliates being 'up to it', I haven't come across any in my tests, though I don't know that many (billy no mates!). I came across one ex-AM who was using it to send traffic to an adsense for search site.

If anyone does have details, tell the networks, the good ones will get it sorted quickly. The bad ones will still be making their override on the links 14 months after you spent a lot of time telling them about it!