180 Solutions
Online Advertising
180 Solutions
180SearchAssistant
180solutions, Inc.
|
Type |
Private |
| Founded |
1999 |
| Location |
Bellevue, Washington |
| Key people |
Keith Smith, Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer
Daniel Todd, Co-founder, President
Ken Smith, Co-founder, Chief Technology Officer
Doug Hanhart, Co-founder, Chief Information Officer |
|
Industry |
Computer software
Advertising
Marketing |
|
Products |
Adware |
|
Employees |
150 to 250 |
|
Website |
www.180solutions.com |
180 Solutions is the company that produces
adware
applications such as
Zango and
Seekmo. Formerly, they also produced the 180 Search Assistant
(also known as 180sa) and ncase.
Early History (prior to 2002)
When founded in 1999, 180 Solutions was known as epipo. It was one of
the first "pay-to-surf" companies, following in the footsteps of
All Advantage. This business model paid users a minimal amount to surf the
Internet while running an application that showed banner ads. Users could also
make money by referring others who would use this application.
After enjoying brief success, the pay-to-surf business model fell into ruin
with the bursting of the Internet bubble in 2001, and 180 Solutions adjusted
their technologies in several ways:
- To show popup ads rather than banner ads.
- To not have any visible
GUI.
- To be bundled with other potentially valuable applications.
2002 - 2005
From 2002 through 2005, 180 Solutions' applications (ncase and 180sa) were
distributed via various affiliates. While these affiliates were legally required
(by 180 contract and other laws) to obtain the permission of the user prior to
install, many did not; this resulted in millions of illegal non-consensual
installs. Many other affiliates notified users only via the end user licence
agreement EULA;
this resulted in more millions of technically legal but still practically
non-consensual installs.
180 Solutions' software shows popup ads while the user is surfing the
Internet. This software was often, but not always, bundled with other pieces of
free software which the user intentionally installed. Since permission to
install the 180 Solutions adware was at best hidden in a EULA, most users were
unaware of the fact that they were installing adware.
In some cases 180 Solutions' software was not bundled with any other
software, but installed as a standalone install. Using this method, an ActiveX
prompt simply asked the user to install the software so that they could receive
"comparison shopping advertisements".
180 Solutions contends that the value of the bundled software or the
comparison shopping advertisements makes up for the inconvenience of the popup
ads. The value of this trade-off is contested by critics of the adware business
model.
During this time, 180 Solutions' applications were often difficult to
uninstall, requiring the user to download an additional 'uninstall' application
made by 180 Solutions or to use a spyware or adware removal tool. In 2005, the
software uninstall was standardized to use the Windows 'add/remove programs'
feature.
In 2005, 180 Solutions implemented a number of initiatives that were intended
to show that the company was serious about controlling the distribution of its
software to eliminate non-consensual installs:
- March: Acquired one of their distribution partners, a Canadian company
called CDT (dba LoudCash). This gave them direct visibility into and greater
control of many of the formerly "third party" distributors.
- June: Claimed to have renotified its 20 million user customer base and
implemented a program that notifies all users within 72 hours of install and
re-notifies all users every 90 days thereafter.
- August: Filed suit against seven individuals alleged to have illegally
distributed its software using a botnet.
- November: Announced an ongoing partnership with the FBI in breaking up a
botnet ring in the Netherlands.
- December: Ended distribution of the 180 Search Assistant and closed
LoudCash (a remnant from the CDT acquisition). They claim that this removes
the financial incentive for fraudulent installs.
Recent history (2006 and later)
On January 23rd, 2006, a public advocacy group filed two official complaints
with the
Federal Trade Commission. The Center for Democracy and Technology complaints charge 180 Solutions with
engaging in unfair and deceptive business practices, deliberately duping
Internet users into downloading intrusive advertising software.
[1]
Despite the initiatives of 2005, 180 Solutions recently admitted that it is
possible for malicious users to hack their install routines and thus cause
fraudulent installs.[2]
They claim that the percentage of fraudulent installs has dropped from over 10%
to under 1%.[] Critics claim that the business model is untenable because fraud
against 180 (which therefore harms unknowning users via nonconsensual installs)
can never be completely removed.
[3]
[4]
External links
Home | Up | Loyaltyware | WinFixer | 180 Solutions | DirectRevenue
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This guide is licensed under the GNU
Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.
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