AOL Instant Messenger Contains Spyware

For those of you who are using AOL Instant Messenger who are actually concerned about privacy issues:

Both AOL’s internet software and the AOL Instant Messenger program (AIM) are force installing unwanted software called Viewpoint Media Player on people’s computers.

There is no option to not install Viewpoint. In fact, if you remove Viewpoint, it will be reinstalled the next time you load AOL! I could hardly believe it when the first person reported this at the message board. Then a dozen more people showed up to report the same thing.

Viewpoint Media Player displays certain multimedia content over the internet. I discovered this software on my own machine last April and I DID NOT AT ALL like finding it there. The reason for that can be found in their privacy policy:
The software creates a unique tracking number (”Customer Unique Identifier” is their term). This number and other information is transmitted, without asking, to Viewpoint servers. The software downloads updates and installs them on the computer, also without asking.

Yuck, I hate it when people sneak spyware into their software.

It’s rare that I regret switching to Trillian as an alternative to all of the 8 bajillion different IM protocols and their associated applications.