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AOL to Add Spyware Detection to Service

New York Times:

America Online will give its customers built-in software to detect and remove "spyware," hidden tools that can monitor Web surfers' online habits for marketing purposes, company executives said yesterday.

The AOL move, which is to be announced today, steps up a battle between consumers and makers of so-called adware and spyware, which have become increasingly popular marketing tools for advertisers seeking to reach Internet users in a variety of ways that many consider unduly intrusive.

The spyware-removal program that AOL will use is made by another company, Aluria Software. It will be bundled with the next version of AOL's software, which will be released soon. AOL customers using older software will be able to download the program separately, executives said.

The AOL software will work automatically on the customer's computer, scanning it once a week and identifying the adware and spyware packages it finds, the company said. Users will then decide whether they want to remove the products.

"We're trying to inform and empower the consumer," said Jeff Kimball, vice president for new products at AOL, which is a unit of Time Warner. "If you want it, that's your choice. If you don't, here's a simple and easy way to get it out of your life."

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