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A Wonderful Free Service?
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Now you can chat on four networks with one a free client. So, what is not to like? A lot, we think. |
| The hint of trouble |
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On 08 February 2007 I received this note from a friend. It seemed a bit out of character for him but it had no attachments or HTML code so it appeared safe to open.
This was a "reminder" to join a service called Buddy2Buddy that allows chatting on four services using just one chat client. It seemed to be much like Gaim or Trillian, so I gave it a close look.
That close look was a bit like noticing that there is mouth with hot breath on the other side of the bear fang you are looking at. This was a real surprise. They were promising me a wealth of spam delivered to MY mail box because SOMEONE ELSE signed up for this service.
- Actual e-mail addresses and chat names have been altered in the quotations below.
- Links have been disabled below.
Message Received |
Remarks |
I sent you an invite to get the new universal instant messenger Did you get it? Here it is again: http://b2buniversalmessenger308t.com/traffic.asp?action=1&friend=Dr. Rocket J. Squirrel&email=Bullwinkle@Moosenet.com&type=reminder&msgid=1 |
This is the first message we received. How is this a reminder?
This is not his writing style at all.
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Here are my screennames so you can add me to your buddylist AOL/ICQ - RocketJSqirrel@aol.com
MSN - RocketJSqirrel@hotmail.com
Yahoo - RocketJSqirrel@yahoo.com |
Our friend said he did not send this message and he knew nothing about Buddy2Buddy. He is checking for a worm or a virus.
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Here's the page where you can get the new universal messenger: http://b2buniversalmessenger308t.com/traffic.asp?action=1&friend=Dr. Rocket J. Squirrel&email=Bullwinkle@Moosenet.com&type=reminder&msgid=1 |
His name has been changed to Dr. Rocket J. Squirrel and mine to Bullwinkle. |
A quick check of Google for "Buddy2Buddy" turned up large numbers of hits, many of which were postings on forums similar to the one below.
I just found this new universal instant messenger
http://b2buniversalmessenger137w.com/traffic.asp?action=1&type=invitation&friend=FriendName&email=UserGroup@groups.msn.com&msgid=76
Here are my screennames so you can add me to your buddylist
AOL/ICQ -
MSN - RatsBehind
Yahoo - MouseLips
To get this new universal instant messenger go here:
http://b2buniversalmessenger137w.com/traffic.asp?action=1&type=invitation&friend=FriendName&email=UserGroup@groups.msn.com&msgid=76
This looks almost exactly like the e-mail I received. So, let's see what is in it for Buddy2Buddy.
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| The free download |
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We know better than to click on those long links. There is always something in it for someone and a click-through could be tracked. So it is better to go directly to the Website. This is the Web page that came up. Note the "fine print" below the sign-up screen.
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| The fine print |
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So, what is not to like about this? It works like Trillian and Gaim and it looks simple enough to sign up. Before clicking let's read the notice, which you must agree to before downloading the software. It is broken into sections below for closer study.
"Terms of Use" Text |
Remarks |
By clicking “Next” you are hereby granting access to Buddy2Buddy to retrieve all information in your address book(s) and display it to you. Buddy2Buddy is not affiliated with AIM, YAHOO!, MSM or ICQ.
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A total stranger is about to open your address books, presumably to help with the setup process, using the user names and passwords that you have furnished. What else will they do with them? |
| We are not promoting any goods or services in association with such trademarks. The purpose of our use is merely for comparative advertising only. Such trademarks and service marks are trademarks of their respective owners. |
In a word: Huh? |
| Acknowledgment and Information Use Disclosure: Please be advised that once you click "Click Here to add your friends" you will have: |
Here comes potential trouble. Most people will not read this but since it is posted so plainly this company can fight legal challenges rather easily. |
| (a) initiated the transmission of an non-procured email invitation to join Buddy2Buddy to all recipient email addresses that remain selected and |
They are going to send ALL of your buddies in ALL of your services an e-mail advertising their services. |
(ii) granted us permission to add such email addresses to our database so that:
(i) the recipients may be added to your Friend’s list;
(ii) we may send other commercial communications to such recipients; and
(iii) they may be shared or provided by us to third parties for compensation.
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Now it gets ugly. Every one of my contacts will be added to my buddy list, this company may send them advertisements, and these addresses may be sold to other companies.
The person inviting you to join this service does not have your authorization to give this company your permission to be placed on endless spam lists.
No matter, you have just agreed to have all of your friends spammed ad nauseum. |
| Recipients of invitations or other electronic promotional communications from us may contact us to stop the delivery of future promotional e-mail by following the specific instructions in the e-mail they receive. For a more detailed description of how we collect, use, compile, share and provide information, please review our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, then please click the link “Skip this Step” or deselect all emails before proceeding. |
Of course, when I receive my spam I can "opt out" by replying to it. That begs two questions:
- How do I know which spam comes to me as a result of this company's efforts?
- How do I know it is safe to reply to it?
You don't, and you don't. |
So, once I read this I decided to try and stop the inevitable. Of course, how many people never bother to check out the service and just delete the e-mail?
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| About the company |
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The links to Contact Us and Report Spam bring up on-screen forms that send a message to someone. There is no e-mail address readily apparent. The About Us link tells a more chilling tale.
This company is not about chat. It is about snooping on you and dishing up ads.
Marketing Double-Talk |
What It Really Means |
| Buddy2Buddy.com Corp. is a pioneer in behavioral marketing. |
Your behavior could include surfing habits, personal information, and just about anything else. |
| We meet the needs of consumers, advertisers and publishers with highly relevant content and advertising results. |
"Relevant" likely means they monitor your surfing habits to send ads you might actually read. |
| Buddy2Buddy’s proprietary applications and technologies provide consumers with timely relevant content and offers based on their ordinary Web browsing and search behavior. |
Yep. That's what they do. |
Our name, Buddy2Buddy, was inspired by the suite of products and services which allow consumers to communicate better and faster with each other. We provide our proprietary communications tools to consumers for free. They include, among others, a feature-rich universal instant messenger which allows users to share files and chat via text, voice and video, a web based universal messenger which users can access from any computer without downloading any software, a social networking site where consumers can communicate with each other and personalize their own pages and a search engine. |
Notice the last item. Search is big business. That is why Yahoo! and Google have so many companies trying to force their toolbars onto your computer when you download their software or updates.
If this outfit controls your search results then they can pitch to you quite easily. There is no guarantee they will give you all possible results, or that they will not promote their interests. |
| We are able to provide our products and services for free as a result of the funding we receive from advertising together with the information we gather and track. |
So, they are mining the data they accumulate from your surfing and your chat. Oh, you sent someone your grandmother's e-mail address? Guess who may be getting some spam? |
| Such information helps our affiliates, business partners, advertisers, publishers and clients better understand the demographics of their target audiences as well as to support our marketing of consumer information, data products and services. |
Your mother thinks you are special. Your clergyman will tell you that you are wonderfully made in the image of God. But to the marketers you are just a "demographic" to be "marketed to" in any manner possible. |
| This economy also enables Buddy2Buddy to offer additional and continuously improving products and services to consumers at no cost. |
Probably so. These people can get rich on the data you share with your chat buddies. |
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| The terms and conditions |
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On the Buddy2Buddy Website, clicking on "Terms of Use" brings up a page that should strike fear into your heart. Clicking on the "Privacy Policy" should change that fear into a cold, cold chill. It is absolutely amazing what this package will do if you install it.
To their credit, Buddy2Buddy does not hide what they are doing. They lay all of their cards on the table and they tell you how to remove their software. This is a good thing. While we do not like what it is they are going to do in exchange for giving you a useful service, at least we have the option not to sign up for the service. Far too many marketing companies hid a few crucial facts, i.e., you will install a search bar that you cannot remove.
The first two links below will take you to these documents as they existed on 08 February 2007. They are subject to change, as are their links, so they have been reproduced here in their entirety. Links within the documents are active and will take you to the Buddy2Buddy Website. The third link will take you to a forum posting where a member of the Buddy2Buddy team speaks out, along with our reply.
Please take a few minutes to read through these documents. They are a real eye opener. Then read the section from the Privacy Policy, below. Please get a coat and take your medications before you do.
These links will open in a new browser window. To close this window click the "X" at the upper right hand corner. |
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In the Privacy Policy, section 7 makes it rather apparent that you have little privacy. Your computer will become an ad server that monitors your every keystroke, stores your information, and then sends it to their servers for processing. They retain the right to do anything they like with this data, including merging it with your personal information and selling it.
7. How System Save Collects, Tracks, Stores, Transmits and Uses Information
By installing B2B Software you are also installing an ad-serving, redirecting and behavior monitoring program(s) and application(s) (collectively “System Save”), and you hereby grant permission for B2B to continuously collect certain information to better determine or predict user characteristics, behavior, or preferences, such as: key strokes, key words and click stream data, including portions of search terms, website addresses or URLs from the websites you visit and your frequency of visits to such websites and pages, the content of messages and emails and other data traffic or Information related to your access to and use of the B2B Network and Internet; store this information on your computer in a configuration file; and transmit or upload this information to our servers so that we may select, display and/or send targeted and untargeted websites, html roll-overs, banners, text links, IM advertisements, and any other kind of commercial communication or marketing material (individually and collectively “Advertisement(s)”) to you and for other business purposes. These Advertisements may place cookies on your hard drive and use the cookies together with other Information to tailor delivery of content or Advertisements to you by profiling your use of an Advertisement that you select. These Advertisements may collect information such as your IP address, your browser type and the date and time that the Advertisement was served to you and other Information. For more information about System Save please click here. Please be advised that information collected by System Save may be merged with any other Information including your personal Information and used, shared or sold by us in accordance with the terms of this Privacy Policy. Please see Section 9 below to uninstall and remove System Save from your computer or to revise your Information preferences. |
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| What can I do now? |
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We recommend buying a dozen bricks and having lunch. That will take your mind away from the horrible truth, that if your name has reached these people your mail box may suddenly start filling up rapidly.
If you will remember, the friend who introduced you to this service unwittingly authorized your name to be placed on spam lists without your knowledge, even if you do not sign up for the service.
Perhaps you would like to take legal action. Call the Federal Trade Commission. Then call your state Attorney General. They will be somewhat amused when they learn that this outfit is located in Panama City, Panama. They have no jurisdiction there.
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