Overview Advertising is a blessing and a curse. Television, magazines, and other media sources use advertising dollars to provide services that would be economically unfeasible if its cost was passed on to consumers. On-line marketers have jumped onto the bandwagon and have attached advertising to Web sites. Other less scrupulous marketers have found ways to transmit advertising directly to individual computers. Follow the links below to learn more about how Internet advertising works and how you can protect your personal computer from online ads.

General Information Unscrupulous advertisers may use spyware to gather information that assists in their marketing efforts. Adware is another common method that advertisers may use to influence consumers.   Read a definition of spyware at this link. Read an article about spyware here (PDF). Read articles and find information on specific adware and spyware at this link. To learn more about how to protect your computer from Spyware and Adware follow this link.

Specific Links

• Check your browser for spyware by clicking here and parasites by clicking this link.
• Download AdAware--one of the top-rated anti-advertising programs--at the Lavasoft site.
• SpyBot Search and Destroy is another top-rated adware-removal application. You can download it here.
• Read about the adware that Wired Magazine calls the most evil thing on the Internet in this article.
• This article includes a history of adware and suggestions on how to avoid it.
• Why do advertisers use adware if so many people dislike it? This article claims that adware is here to stay because it works.
• Want to learn more about clear GIFs, also known as Web Bugs? Check out this link.