[IP] Help! my Belkin router is spamming me
Delivered-To: dfarber+@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Fri, 07 Nov 2003 18:33:40 -0800
From: Kurt Albershardt <kurt@xxxxxx>
Subject: Help! my Belkin router is spamming me
To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx
For IP, if you wish...
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/69/33858.html
By John Leyden
Posted: 07/11/2003 at 14:27 GMT
The marketing geniuses at Belkin, the consumer networking vendor, have
dreamed up a new form of spam - ads served to your desktop, by way of its
wireless router.
Uh Clem. a former Belkin wireless router user, was perplexed to find
machines on his network redirected to an ad for Belkin's new parental
control system, following a software update.
Clem initially thought that the browser setting on the machine he
downloaded the updated software had been changed. But when other machines
displayed the same behaviour he realised his router was to blame.
The router would grab a random HTTP connection every eight hours and
redirect it to Belkin?s (push) advertised web page.
"It seems the router now supports a parental control and the market droids
at Belkin got the bright idea of equipping the router with intrusive
nagware," writes Uh Clem. "Of course, I have this strange notion that
routers should pass data unmolested by marketeers!"
There is an opt-out link on the advertised page but this failed to appease
Clem who, not unreasonably, objects to having to "opt-out from commercials
from my router". Because of the ads, he's decided not to buy Belkin
products again.
In response criticism, a Belkin product manager came forward this week to
confirm the behaviour was designed into the products as a way to make it
easier for consumers to sign up to a free trial of its parental control
software. Belkin's Eric Deming is keen to allay concerns about the
technique which have produced sharp criticism of the company on the
news.admin.net-abuse.email newsgroup.
"We don't have the ability to spam you at a later time if you select "No
Thanks" or turn off the reminder manually," Deming writes. "I know this
feature might be misunderstood and might PO some people. I know the manual
could do a better job explaining it. These are all things that we at Belkin
are working to remedy." ®
-------------------------------------
You are subscribed as roessler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To manage your subscription, go to
http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip
Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/