NY Attorney General Targets Spyware

New York Attorney General Elliot Spitzer sued Internet marketer Intermix Media of Los Angeles on Thursday, over claims that the company installed spyware and adware on computers that came in contact with its advertisements. This included the attempted installation of toolbar items, and programs that delivered unwanted ads.

Spitzer announced the suit had been filed in New York City shortly following the conclusion of a six-month investigation into the company's practices. The investigation found that Intermix had installed its software on computers across the country, and had violated New York's advertising and business practice laws.

Spitzer also is suing Intermix for trespassing under the state's common law. According to the investigation, more than 3.7 million New Yorkers were affected.

"These fraudulent programs foul machines, undermine productivity and in many cases frustrate consumers' efforts to remove them from their computers," Spitzer told reporters. "These issues can serve to be a hindrance to the growth of e-commerce."

Advertisers whose ads were served by the company are not targeted by the lawsuit.

Spitzer has made it a point of his tenure as New York's attorney general to go after what he sees as corporate wrongdoing against consumers. He has successfully taken on Wall Street and several insurance industry firms. Spitzer has now turned his attention to the Internet, as he argues companies like Intermix are a threat to the success of e-commerce.