Talk:Zango (company)/Archive 1

message: YapBrowser
Since this wasn't mention any where, I'd like to mention the allegations presented here.
http://doxdesk.com/updates/2006.html#u20060416
http://www.donotreply.com/index.php/2006/05/11/warner-brothers-child-porn/ 
This needs to be added. Nbbs 01:34, 15 March 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: So add it then 67.189.48.254 02:53, 19 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Alleged Child Porn Browser

message: The 2002-2005 section currently states that: "Many other affiliates notified users only via the end user licence agreement EULA; this resulted in millions more of technically legal but still essentially non-consensual installs."  What is the source for stating that these installs are legal?  As far as I know, the law is not entirely settled here; a remote EULA link that attempts to conceal the install information from the average user may still qualify as a "deceptive marketing practice" and therefore, would still be illegal.  I'd like some feedback; if someone has evidence that their practices were legal, I'll hold off, but absent that I would like to change it to "arguable legal" or "of questionable legality etc.
Lciaccio 18:03, 9 January 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Technically Legal?

message: I have added the POVCheck tag because of the following phrases:
* "focused on building a Content economy" - sounds like an ad
* "have a current focus on using time shifted advertising to support the long tail of content available on the Internet" - sounds like an ad
* "non-consensual" - This is a term often used by Zango/180 themselves
* "Zango can be removed by most leading Anti-Virus software like Symantec's Norton Anti-Virus" - endorsement of specific product —Preceding unsigned comment added by  68.110.186.170 (talk • contribs) 
I suspect this version is a corporate puff-piece.  But it is not as flagrantly and maliciously so as the last version that I reverted was.  NPOV could definitely be improved upon.  The last bullet mentioned above is not part of the recent corporate change, it has been around a bit.  GRBerry 14:39, 2 May 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Added POVCheck tag 

message: I just added the POV section tag.  Everything below it is a new contribution that looks to be ad-cruft from the company.  (And where did the POV check flag the prior user added go?...) GRBerry 02:31, 9 May 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Added POV section 

message: With the merger of hotbar and 180solutions I suggest what this page be merged in to the 180solutions page with appropriate renaming. 
*Zango is the brand name for 180solutions. 
*180solutions is renaming itself to Zango. 
*Multiple pages are redundant.
Bdelisle 20:12, 7 June 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Merge

message: Admins, I think this page should be locked to unregistered users.
Most of the vandalism I'm seeing in the history are unregistered edits.
EDIT: The article, not the talk page. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Sljaxon (talk • contribs) 04:58, August 3, 2006.
*First, sign your comment. Second, I can understand the vandals... Its good will too (if you've ever got spyware you will understand). ^^ Anyhow, blocking this page from vandals is unneccisary, as they fix themselfs quick enough. Or if they don't, its like you fixing Zango on your computer. ^^ -- 68.228.33.74 06:19, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Locking? 

message: - think it was a decent revert? It seems that the person's edits that I reverted could possibly have been added to make the article more neutral, but they really read as being more apologetic than anything. Especially considering that Google and eBay don't create software that's flagged by every anti-spyware program worth its salt as being "potentially unwanted" (besides Google Desktop, though that's an entirely different conversation). -- Consumed Crustacean | Talk | 00:23, 19 August 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Recent revert 

message: Why is the MacOS screenshot necessary? It seems a waste of space. Sljaxon 14:30, 16 February 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  MacOS 

message: Note from Zango President Daniel Todd: Despite our publishing numerous and ongoing notice and consent audits where 3rd parties review our industry leading installation practices and uninstall procedures, some folks on the Internet want to continue to provide misinformation about our products and company. If you have had a bad experience with Zango personally, please let me know or if you currently need assistance please visit our customer support page here and someone from our customer support team will respond to you within 24 hours. If you still have problems after that or would like to provide other feedback, please contact me directly at dant@zango.com. Thank you]--> 
*You're a spyware distributor, not a respectable company.  You deserve to be put in prison, or maybe drawn and quartered. Ghost of starman 20:55, 17 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Taken from the top and put on the bottom

message: Reads like a company puff piece.  "Over time Zango will grow..." (emphasis added) is a clear example.  "Lastly, we have 75,000 - 100,000 people every day..." is clearly in the corporate voice.  All links are to Zango official sites.  Excessive use of non-encyclopeic images.  No subsection on criticism, even though it is mentioned in passing (as "confusion").  Contains facts needing citation that I suspect were pulled from company internal sources.  GRBerry 18:23, 21 April 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Untitled

message: The thing's a demon! It's negated my popup blocker, and it won't go away. It's just a matter of time before my computer starts swearing at me in latin. Bioform 1234 01:27, 24 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: POS

message: User talk:71.35.130.158 is blanking the controversy part of the article. I highly recommend severe sanction and notification of this occurrence to Paperghost.  E. Sn0 =31337= Talk 05:42, 25 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  TROLL! 

message: <quote>
Zango Has Advertisers Covered at ad:tech San Francisco
Online Media Company to 'Blanket' Advertisers With Opportunities at Interactive Advertising Event
BELLEVUE, WA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 04/19/07 -- Zango, an online media company that provides free, sought-after videos, games, music, tools and utilities, will share its unique Time Shifted Advertising(SM) model with marketers next week at ad:tech San Francisco, the leading interactive advertising and technology conference. The ad:tech gathering runs April 24-26.
</quote>
--full article at http://www.sys-con.com/read/364081.htm
I found the above press release looking for a source for a seemingly pro-Zango quote by former FTC Commissioner Christine Varney, that quote recently added by new contributor User:64.60.253.65.  I couldn't locate a source for the quote, but Zango's press release does state:
"Desktop advertising used to be a free-for-all," said Christine Varney, a partner in Hogan & Hartson LLP's Washington, D.C. office and a featured speaker at ad:tech San Francisco. "It's not anymore. Thanks to the efforts of the Federal Trade Commission, the New York attorney general's office, TRUSTe and, most recently, the reintroduction of federal anti-spyware legislation, those days are behind us. Simply put, there's never been a better time for advertisers to venture into the desktop advertising arena."
--CliffC 04:44, 26 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Zango, former FTC Commissioner Varney at advertising conference in San Francisco 

message: According to WP:DUCK we shouldn't need euphamisms.  Malware is a term of art that describes spyware and adware.  Yes, I know it sounds bad, but if that's what this company is doing, we should call a duck a duck.  This is the main reason this company is notable.   Jehochman  ☎ / ✔ 21:36, 20 May 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Malware Controversy 

message: As I write to the Wikipedia community, the top of the Zango page on the Wikipedia includes a message that reads, “This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia’s quality standards.” On behalf of Zango I couldn’t agree more.
Who am I? My name is Steve Stratz and I’ll immediately point-out that as the director of public relations for Zango, obviously a clear conflict of interest exists between me and the Wikipedia entry about our company. 
However it is in the spirit of the Wikipedia “way” that I am reaching out to you all today. The Zango entry simply does not meet the quality standards of Wikipedia. Our passionate President and Co-founder Daniel Todd, made a personal attempt to contribute his own views, but those were deleted.
He and I have learned a lot about the Wikipedia due to those recent incidents – thank you for your responses to Daniel. We have learned that executives editing pages about their own companies is not always the best approach in this community. However in the time since we have monitored the Zango entry and feel there are many elements that are not consistent with the community’s expectations of fairness, accuracy, and objectiveness.
Today, the Zango entry includes far too much opinion and axe grinding (Hitmaru's response to my the "Private Message" confirms just that), and is in need of fact and balancing references – including documentation of our past issues, whether they be PR, legal or business, not to mention evidence that Zango has evolved – in some circumstances to industry leadership positions.
I have sat down – at home and away from the office – and copied and pasted a recent version of the Zango entry into a Microsoft Word document and taken what I believe is a reasonable, cool-headed and well-grounded attempt at a revision that is both fair and balanced. Jehochman, per your Talk page comments, I have included a few company press release links, which felt, given the context, appropriate. I can find other relevant links, but I'm sure that will be one of the last of our worries, right now.
I will send the attachment immediately following this Talk entry and welcome the review and subsequent consideration in assisting with an effort to bring the Zango Wikipedia entry up to the standards it rightfully deserves.
Thank you, Sstratz 21:26, 11 June 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: It's my policy not to correspond with other editors offline about article content.  Please post your suggestions here, and keep them concise.  Jehochman  Talk 21:36, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

text: Copy the relevant text out of the document and post it here.  Please keep the text short and to the point.  We're not very interested in corporate PR-speak. Jehochman  Talk 00:04, 12 June 2007 (UTC)
replies: text:  Better idea:  I am putting a copy of this page into your user space at: User:Sstratz/Zango.  Go ahead and edit that, and then leave a note here asking somebody to look at it.  Make sure you include reliable third party sources for any additions.  Press releases automatically don't qualify as sources, nor do regurgitations of press releases by news sites.  Avoid deleting properly sourced material, because we won't allow that.  Jehochman  Talk 00:10, 12 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  RE: Private Message: Introduction and Attachment 

message: In reviewing the edits suggested by company representative, User:Sstratz, it became obvious to me that somebody with an axe to grind or a connection to a class-action plaintiff's attorney did a number on this article.  There is no reliable source that calls Zango Spyware.  If somebody can find one, please post it here for discussion, and then we can add it to the article.   While Adware with boilerplate consent forms may be undesirable and personally offensive to most of us, we need to maintain Wikipedia's content policies.  Unsourced statements should be removed, and should not be re-added without proper citations. If Zango produces Adware, that's what we say.  We don't exaggerate and call it Spyware.  Google Toolbar monitors user behavior, and we don't call that spyware.  We must maintain the same standards for all.  Jehochman  Talk 22:33, 12 June 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Just took care of that.  See this detailed report from StopBadware.org, sponsored by the Harvard Law School, Oxford University, and Consumers Union. --John Nagle 00:11, 13 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  COI Cleanup 

message: Wikipedia Community, I've just finished proposing some further changes in regard to the Zango entry. Again, I'll look forward to the community's insights, questions, concerns and more. In the meantime, I just wanted to thank everyone in advance for their interest in Zango and for the efforts to cleanup this article to meet Wikipedia's quality standards and the community's expectations of fairness, accuracy and objectiveness. Sstratz 22:29, 13 June 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: You're welcome, but you don't need to flatter us.  We just want to write good articles. Jehochman  Talk 02:57, 14 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Thank You In Advance

message: Per the edits outlined on the Discussion page and done at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Sstratz/Zango and since I have not heard much back on some of the thoughts posted, I have taken the liberty to take care of some minor edits to the Zango entry, including:
-Adding a break between executives York Baur and Ken McGraw
-Adding an updated image of the Zango Notice and Consent screen and new subtitle as the image before was not labeled incorrectly as S3, which is the underlying technology
-Correcting the spelling of ePIPO
-Correcting the spelling of 180solutions
-Adding a dash to pop-up
-Finally, correcting York Baur’s title as EVP
Sstratz 23:44, 18 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Housekeeping

message: StopBadware.org, a reliable source (it's a joint operation of Oxford University, Harvard University, and Consumer's Union) says it's spyware. That's cited in the article.  So it's spyware for Wikipedia purposes.  Attempts to remove that from the article must be treated as vandalism and reverted.
Added some new material about WebSense's report of an installer that tries to install Zango Cash via phony YouTube videos. --John Nagle 02:59, 24 June 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: I think the spyware label is debatable.  Don't confuse a content dispute with vandalism.  Google Toolbar also reports information about user queries in order to bring up certain kinds of ads.  Stopbadware gets a huge amount of funding from Google. Surprise, Google Toolbar isn't called spyware.  So Stopbadware.org isn't exactly the most neutral source.  It has commercial biases.  Nontheless, I am not going to edit war. If this stuff really was spyware, it would be labeled as such by more than one source.  See if you can dig up some additional references. Jehochman  Talk 04:06, 24 June 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Found an analysis by Ben Edelman and Eric Howes which demonstrates a whole range of new and ongoing Zango bad behaviors, including clear failures to comply with the FTC consent agreement. The latest attack vector involves installing Zango software via the Windows Media Player license manager.  Also, here's a detailed analysis of what Zango spyware sends to the Zango servers. "180 transmits to its servers information about the web sites that users visit. Each transmission bears a domain name (or other trigger condition), as well as a unique user ID that lets 180 build profiles of users' online activities." --John Nagle 17:33, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

text: What the FTC actually said was: As you have characterized it, the third-party conduct that ultimately led to the above-referenced installations is potentially unfair or deceptive. The proposed consent order with Zango, however, remedies the Commission’s allegations that Zango caused its software to be downloaded on consumers’ computers without adequate notice and consent and remedies Zango’s previous unfair uninstallation practices, which are the principal problems the staff identified in its investigation. Accordingly, the proposed order appropriately addresses the conduct the Commission challenged and fences in reasonably related conduct. It is not intended to cover every potential violation of Section 5 by Zango. The Commission retains the ability to bring a de novo Section 5 action, for example, if it determines that Zango is engaging or participating with its distributors in conduct that deceives consumers into downloading Zango’s software notwithstanding the notice and consent required by this Order. So the FTC is saying that this new attack has to be considered as a new matter, not under the previous consent order. --John Nagle 21:08, 25 June 2007 (UTC)

text: It may be productive for you to contact StopBadware and see what needs to be done to get them to remove the word "spyware" from their page about Zango.  Debating here will do no good, because this word is based on a reference to an arguably reliable source.  Jehochman  Talk 22:01, 25 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Yes, it's spyware 

message: video game director's cuts got pwned by zango, it says that i need zango to view the site >:( 71.12.79.243 23:13, 21 July 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  damn 

message: in the event that i would want to remove zango how would someone like myself go about doing such yeah 11:34, 6 August 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Wikipedia isn't a how-to guide.  I suggest you run some Google searches.  If you feel particularly generous you can compile instructions and see if you can post them to wikiHow or some place like that. Jehochman  Talk 13:22, 6 August 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: You could hit your computer with a hammer and replace it with a new one, but that would cost money! Try downloading Spybot and see what happens. It's free, and more efficient than hitting your computer with a hammer. MalwareSmarts 18:56, 6 August 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: I'm not sure about doing the above action. Would you trust a malware company's information on removing their products? MalwareSmarts 16:47, 8 August 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Dude, you need to read Hanlon's razor.  -Jehochman  Talk 17:51, 8 August 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: I didn't think the user was up to anything bad, I thought it was an honest mistake. MalwareSmarts 21:57, 9 August 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: removing zango

message: I would like to know whether this link will work in this page because it contains the items in the Zango software. Thanks!
http://www.virustotal.com/resultado.html?41afd39c700945320eecd28ece8a0f12.
Two links are posted there on the site to explore further.
Goodshoped35110s 01:00, 29 August 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  The results of the Zango Installer 

message: Reads like a company puff piece.  "Over time Zango will grow..." (emphasis added) is a clear example.  "Lastly, we have 75,000 - 100,000 people every day..." is clearly in the corporate voice.  All links are to Zango official sites.  Excessive use of non-encyclopeic images.  No subsection on criticism, even though it is mentioned in passing (as "confusion").  Contains facts needing citation that I suspect were pulled from company internal sources.  GRBerry 18:23, 21 April 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Untitled

message: I have added the POVCheck tag because of the following phrases:
* "focused on building a Content economy" - sounds like an ad
* "have a current focus on using time shifted advertising to support the long tail of content available on the Internet" - sounds like an ad
* "non-consensual" - This is a term often used by Zango/180 themselves
* "Zango can be removed by most leading Anti-Virus software like Symantec's Norton Anti-Virus" - endorsement of specific product —Preceding unsigned comment added by  68.110.186.170 (talk • contribs) 
I suspect this version is a corporate puff-piece.  But it is not as flagrantly and maliciously so as the last version that I reverted was.  NPOV could definitely be improved upon.  The last bullet mentioned above is not part of the recent corporate change, it has been around a bit.  GRBerry 14:39, 2 May 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Added POVCheck tag 

message: I just added the POV section tag.  Everything below it is a new contribution that looks to be ad-cruft from the company.  (And where did the POV check flag the prior user added go?...) GRBerry 02:31, 9 May 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Added POV section 

message: With the merger of hotbar and 180solutions I suggest what this page be merged in to the 180solutions page with appropriate renaming. 
*Zango is the brand name for 180solutions. 
*180solutions is renaming itself to Zango. 
*Multiple pages are redundant.
Bdelisle 20:12, 7 June 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Merge

message: - think it was a decent revert? It seems that the person's edits that I reverted could possibly have been added to make the article more neutral, but they really read as being more apologetic than anything. Especially considering that Google and eBay don't create software that's flagged by every anti-spyware program worth its salt as being "potentially unwanted" (besides Google Desktop, though that's an entirely different conversation). -- Consumed Crustacean | Talk | 00:23, 19 August 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Recent revert 

message: Admins, I think this page should be locked to unregistered users.
Most of the vandalism I'm seeing in the history are unregistered edits.
EDIT: The article, not the talk page. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Sljaxon (talk • contribs) 04:58, August 3, 2006.
*First, sign your comment. Second, I can understand the vandals... Its good will too (if you've ever got spyware you will understand). ^^ Anyhow, blocking this page from vandals is unneccisary, as they fix themselfs quick enough. Or if they don't, its like you fixing Zango on your computer. ^^ -- 68.228.33.74 06:19, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Locking? 

message: Why is the MacOS screenshot necessary? It seems a waste of space. Sljaxon 14:30, 16 February 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  MacOS 

message: User talk:71.35.130.158 is blanking the controversy part of the article. I highly recommend severe sanction and notification of this occurrence to Paperghost.  E. Sn0 =31337= Talk 05:42, 25 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  TROLL! 

message: <quote>
Zango Has Advertisers Covered at ad:tech San Francisco
Online Media Company to 'Blanket' Advertisers With Opportunities at Interactive Advertising Event
BELLEVUE, WA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 04/19/07 -- Zango, an online media company that provides free, sought-after videos, games, music, tools and utilities, will share its unique Time Shifted Advertising(SM) model with marketers next week at ad:tech San Francisco, the leading interactive advertising and technology conference. The ad:tech gathering runs April 24-26.
</quote>
--full article at http://www.sys-con.com/read/364081.htm
I found the above press release looking for a source for a seemingly pro-Zango quote by former FTC Commissioner Christine Varney, that quote recently added by new contributor User:64.60.253.65.  I couldn't locate a source for the quote, but Zango's press release does state:
"Desktop advertising used to be a free-for-all," said Christine Varney, a partner in Hogan & Hartson LLP's Washington, D.C. office and a featured speaker at ad:tech San Francisco. "It's not anymore. Thanks to the efforts of the Federal Trade Commission, the New York attorney general's office, TRUSTe and, most recently, the reintroduction of federal anti-spyware legislation, those days are behind us. Simply put, there's never been a better time for advertisers to venture into the desktop advertising arena."
--CliffC 04:44, 26 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Zango, former FTC Commissioner Varney at advertising conference in San Francisco 

message: According to WP:DUCK we shouldn't need euphamisms.  Malware is a term of art that describes spyware and adware.  Yes, I know it sounds bad, but if that's what this company is doing, we should call a duck a duck.  This is the main reason this company is notable.   Jehochman  ☎ / ✔ 21:36, 20 May 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Malware Controversy 

message: The 2002-2005 section currently states that: "Many other affiliates notified users only via the end user licence agreement EULA; this resulted in millions more of technically legal but still essentially non-consensual installs."  What is the source for stating that these installs are legal?  As far as I know, the law is not entirely settled here; a remote EULA link that attempts to conceal the install information from the average user may still qualify as a "deceptive marketing practice" and therefore, would still be illegal.  I'd like some feedback; if someone has evidence that their practices were legal, I'll hold off, but absent that I would like to change it to "arguable legal" or "of questionable legality etc.
Lciaccio 18:03, 9 January 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Technically Legal?

message: As I write to the Wikipedia community, the top of the Zango page on the Wikipedia includes a message that reads, “This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia’s quality standards.” On behalf of Zango I couldn’t agree more.
Who am I? My name is Steve Stratz and I’ll immediately point-out that as the director of public relations for Zango, obviously a clear conflict of interest exists between me and the Wikipedia entry about our company. 
However it is in the spirit of the Wikipedia “way” that I am reaching out to you all today. The Zango entry simply does not meet the quality standards of Wikipedia. Our passionate President and Co-founder Daniel Todd, made a personal attempt to contribute his own views, but those were deleted.
He and I have learned a lot about the Wikipedia due to those recent incidents – thank you for your responses to Daniel. We have learned that executives editing pages about their own companies is not always the best approach in this community. However in the time since we have monitored the Zango entry and feel there are many elements that are not consistent with the community’s expectations of fairness, accuracy, and objectiveness.
Today, the Zango entry includes far too much opinion and axe grinding (Hitmaru's response to my the "Private Message" confirms just that), and is in need of fact and balancing references – including documentation of our past issues, whether they be PR, legal or business, not to mention evidence that Zango has evolved – in some circumstances to industry leadership positions.
I have sat down – at home and away from the office – and copied and pasted a recent version of the Zango entry into a Microsoft Word document and taken what I believe is a reasonable, cool-headed and well-grounded attempt at a revision that is both fair and balanced. Jehochman, per your Talk page comments, I have included a few company press release links, which felt, given the context, appropriate. I can find other relevant links, but I'm sure that will be one of the last of our worries, right now.
I will send the attachment immediately following this Talk entry and welcome the review and subsequent consideration in assisting with an effort to bring the Zango Wikipedia entry up to the standards it rightfully deserves.
Thank you, Sstratz 21:26, 11 June 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: It's my policy not to correspond with other editors offline about article content.  Please post your suggestions here, and keep them concise.  Jehochman  Talk 21:36, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

text: Copy the relevant text out of the document and post it here.  Please keep the text short and to the point.  We're not very interested in corporate PR-speak. Jehochman  Talk 00:04, 12 June 2007 (UTC)
replies: text:  Better idea:  I am putting a copy of this page into your user space at: User:Sstratz/Zango.  Go ahead and edit that, and then leave a note here asking somebody to look at it.  Make sure you include reliable third party sources for any additions.  Press releases automatically don't qualify as sources, nor do regurgitations of press releases by news sites.  Avoid deleting properly sourced material, because we won't allow that.  Jehochman  Talk 00:10, 12 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  RE: Private Message: Introduction and Attachment 

message: Wikipedia Community, I've just finished proposing some further changes in regard to the Zango entry. Again, I'll look forward to the community's insights, questions, concerns and more. In the meantime, I just wanted to thank everyone in advance for their interest in Zango and for the efforts to cleanup this article to meet Wikipedia's quality standards and the community's expectations of fairness, accuracy and objectiveness. Sstratz 22:29, 13 June 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: You're welcome, but you don't need to flatter us.  We just want to write good articles. Jehochman  Talk 02:57, 14 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Thank You In Advance

message: In reviewing the edits suggested by company representative, User:Sstratz, it became obvious to me that somebody with an axe to grind or a connection to a class-action plaintiff's attorney did a number on this article.  There is no reliable source that calls Zango Spyware.  If somebody can find one, please post it here for discussion, and then we can add it to the article.   While Adware with boilerplate consent forms may be undesirable and personally offensive to most of us, we need to maintain Wikipedia's content policies.  Unsourced statements should be removed, and should not be re-added without proper citations. If Zango produces Adware, that's what we say.  We don't exaggerate and call it Spyware.  Google Toolbar monitors user behavior, and we don't call that spyware.  We must maintain the same standards for all.  Jehochman  Talk 22:33, 12 June 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Just took care of that.  See this detailed report from StopBadware.org, sponsored by the Harvard Law School, Oxford University, and Consumers Union. --John Nagle 00:11, 13 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  COI Cleanup 

message: Per the edits outlined on the Discussion page and done at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Sstratz/Zango and since I have not heard much back on some of the thoughts posted, I have taken the liberty to take care of some minor edits to the Zango entry, including:
-Adding a break between executives York Baur and Ken McGraw
-Adding an updated image of the Zango Notice and Consent screen and new subtitle as the image before was not labeled incorrectly as S3, which is the underlying technology
-Correcting the spelling of ePIPO
-Correcting the spelling of 180solutions
-Adding a dash to pop-up
-Finally, correcting York Baur’s title as EVP
Sstratz 23:44, 18 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Housekeeping

message: StopBadware.org, a reliable source (it's a joint operation of Oxford University, Harvard University, and Consumer's Union) says it's spyware. That's cited in the article.  So it's spyware for Wikipedia purposes.  Attempts to remove that from the article must be treated as vandalism and reverted.
Added some new material about WebSense's report of an installer that tries to install Zango Cash via phony YouTube videos. --John Nagle 02:59, 24 June 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: I think the spyware label is debatable.  Don't confuse a content dispute with vandalism.  Google Toolbar also reports information about user queries in order to bring up certain kinds of ads.  Stopbadware gets a huge amount of funding from Google. Surprise, Google Toolbar isn't called spyware.  So Stopbadware.org isn't exactly the most neutral source.  It has commercial biases.  Nontheless, I am not going to edit war. If this stuff really was spyware, it would be labeled as such by more than one source.  See if you can dig up some additional references. Jehochman  Talk 04:06, 24 June 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Found an analysis by Ben Edelman and Eric Howes which demonstrates a whole range of new and ongoing Zango bad behaviors, including clear failures to comply with the FTC consent agreement. The latest attack vector involves installing Zango software via the Windows Media Player license manager.  Also, here's a detailed analysis of what Zango spyware sends to the Zango servers. "180 transmits to its servers information about the web sites that users visit. Each transmission bears a domain name (or other trigger condition), as well as a unique user ID that lets 180 build profiles of users' online activities." --John Nagle 17:33, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

text: What the FTC actually said was: As you have characterized it, the third-party conduct that ultimately led to the above-referenced installations is potentially unfair or deceptive. The proposed consent order with Zango, however, remedies the Commission’s allegations that Zango caused its software to be downloaded on consumers’ computers without adequate notice and consent and remedies Zango’s previous unfair uninstallation practices, which are the principal problems the staff identified in its investigation. Accordingly, the proposed order appropriately addresses the conduct the Commission challenged and fences in reasonably related conduct. It is not intended to cover every potential violation of Section 5 by Zango. The Commission retains the ability to bring a de novo Section 5 action, for example, if it determines that Zango is engaging or participating with its distributors in conduct that deceives consumers into downloading Zango’s software notwithstanding the notice and consent required by this Order. So the FTC is saying that this new attack has to be considered as a new matter, not under the previous consent order. --John Nagle 21:08, 25 June 2007 (UTC)

text: It may be productive for you to contact StopBadware and see what needs to be done to get them to remove the word "spyware" from their page about Zango.  Debating here will do no good, because this word is based on a reference to an arguably reliable source.  Jehochman  Talk 22:01, 25 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Yes, it's spyware 

message: I would like to know whether this link will work in this page because it contains the items in the Zango software. Thanks!
http://www.virustotal.com/resultado.html?41afd39c700945320eecd28ece8a0f12.
Two links are posted there on the site to explore further.
Goodshoped35110s 01:00, 29 August 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  The results of the Zango Installer 

message: I have restored this talk page.  Any archiving of the page needs to be discussed right here first.  --CliffC 16:22, 16 September 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Un-archiving

message: This article seems to need some cleanup, I am going to add a cleanup template and do some work, but I did want to get an opinion on a few major moves and edits I was thinking of. I suggest dividing this article into 3 - one for the Zango company, one for the Zango Search Assistant software, and one for Hotbar. What do you think? Sljaxon 14:43, 16 September 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Wikipedia is not a crystal ball, so the content should focus on what's published in reliable sources, not future plans. I agree that the split makes no sense.  We have enough material for one good article.  Let's keep it together. - Jehochman  Talk 22:31, 25 September 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Cleanup 

message: *Against.  These products all have the same parent, and it's mainly the behavior and history of the parent that this article has come to be about, a situation brought about by Zango itself.  I don't think it would be possible to write encyclopedic content about any Zango product without having as background the company history, product behaviors, controversies, litigation, etc.  Let's keep all that information here in one spot where it can be watched, and can't become detached and lost in a product split-off.  --CliffC 21:00, 17 September 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Wikipedia is not a crystal ball, so the content should focus on what's published in reliable sources, not future plans. I agree that the split makes no sense.  We have enough material for one good article.  Let's keep it together. - Jehochman  Talk 22:31, 25 September 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Suggested split into three articles

message: Last month, Zango announced a new relationship with Warner Bros. Here is a link to the press release: http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=803582. In addition, here is a link to a December 14, 2007 story that appeared in the Puget Sound Business Journal (print subscription is required: http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2007/12/17/story6.html, but the full article without a subscription is found at the East Bay Times, a PSBJ sister newspaper: http://eastbay.bizjournals.com/eastbay/othercities/seattle/stories/2007/12/17/story6.html?b=1197867600^1563860). Lastly, here is a press release link from September where the new relationship was first announced: http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,1660526,00.html.
Reminder: I am the director of public relations for Zango, so there are obviously potential conflict of interest implications here. However, in a continued effort to “cleanup [the Zango article] to meet Wikipedia’s quality standards” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zango) – something the article in its present condition does not do – I’m bringing this information to the Wikipedia Community. 
Zango’s new relationship with Warner Bros. should have an impact on the current language within the “Content” section of the Zango article. The simplest way to cleanup the Content section would be to delete the present sentence at the end of the section about Warner Bros. It is my opinion that this sentence does not help the article, especially as Zango has more than 100 content provider/aggregator partners and the information conveyed by the sentence is, at best, no longer factually accurate.
If the Community decides a different approach is appropriate, here is a potential edit for the last sentence of the section:
Content providers, ranging from large studios such as Warner Bros. to smaller-sized content creators, partner with Zango to earn revenue and increase distribution.
In addition, if the content about the past relationship and subsequent notes are included in the updated Content section, I’d also like to propose the following link as a note, as it accurately tells the “real” story behind events that occurred nearly 18 months ago: http://blog.spywareguide.com/2006/07/did_digg_cause_the_zango_warne.html. 
Sstratz (talk) 20:05, 2 January 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: Content

message: This picture is older. The building is now black, has an on-ramp in front of this picture, and no longer has the 180solutions logo on the right side. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.104.255.46 (talk • contribs) 
:Would you have time to take a new picture some morning and post it?  --CliffC (talk) 11:45, 22 April 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Their Office Building 

message: The thing's a demon! It's negated my popup blocker, and it won't go away. It's just a matter of time before my computer starts swearing at me in latin. Bioform 1234 01:27, 24 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Ugh, I'm glad I googled Zango before hitting the "yes"  button.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.165.6.225 (talk) 23:37, 30 April 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: POS

message: We should mention that ad with the guy jumping under the bus!--Editor510 (talk) 17:07, 28 May 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Not for squeamish... 

message: in the event that i would want to remove zango how would someone like myself go about doing such yeah 11:34, 6 August 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Wikipedia isn't a how-to guide.  I suggest you run some Google searches.  If you feel particularly generous you can compile instructions and see if you can post them to wikiHow or some place like that. Jehochman  Talk 13:22, 6 August 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: You could hit your computer with a hammer and replace it with a new one, but that would cost money! Try downloading Spybot and see what happens. It's free, and more efficient than hitting your computer with a hammer. MalwareSmarts 18:56, 6 August 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: I'm not sure about doing the above action. Would you trust a malware company's information on removing their products? MalwareSmarts 16:47, 8 August 2007 (UTC)

text: Uh...I think that this article is about removing the virus that comes with Zango once you uninstall it...  —Preceding unsigned comment added by MasterOfTheXP (talk • contribs) 22:03, 19 June 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Dude, you need to read Hanlon's razor.  -Jehochman  Talk 17:51, 8 August 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: I didn't think the user was up to anything bad, I thought it was an honest mistake. MalwareSmarts 21:57, 9 August 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Somebody trying to avoid a lawsuit here? I know I'm digging up the past, but putting a link to "removing Zango" that goes to their own site, where users are told to remove Zango using Add/Remove Programs? When the article specifically states that this malware is not fully removed using this process? Meh. --Snograt talk here 13:01, 8 March 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: removing zango

message: YapBrowser
Since this wasn't mention any where, I'd like to mention the allegations presented here.
http://doxdesk.com/updates/2006.html#u20060416
http://www.donotreply.com/index.php/2006/05/11/warner-brothers-child-porn/ 
This needs to be added. Nbbs 01:34, 15 March 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: So add it then 67.189.48.254 02:53, 19 April 2007 (UTC)

text: Don't add everything. There's a page about YapBrowser --MasterOfTheXP (talk) 22:07, 19 June 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: Alleged Child Porn Browser

message: In my limited experience I find Zango to be far more destructive and harmful that this article might lead one to believe.--Diablorex (talk) 13:43, 8 July 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Pernicious and Evil 

message: hey, quick question. is it safe for me to install zango software so i can get the megaupload link for an album on 4megaupload.com?  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.10.88.69 (talk) 20:53, 20 July 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  4megaupload.com 

message: In the lede, the following text appears:
McAfee states, "this program may have legitimate uses", but describes it as a "potentially unwanted program", and an "adware downloader".
However, this appears to be out of date, as the reference given is from 2005. McAfee SiteAdvisor is a lot less positive about the site, as seen here. Seeing as the currently-used, out of date McAfee page seems to paint the site as a lot less dangerous than SiteAdvisor, perhaps someone should update the lede with the SiteAdvisor link as a ref. 88.104.151.185 (talk) 08:04, 17 August 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Out of date McAfee classification 

message: While the original Zango product (may) follow the EULA and will not connect/change system or track, spy the user or any effect considered as spyware  but it is able to install without the consent  of the user (but indicate in the EULA) a third party software and this software is not liable to any prior EULA.   So may be Zango can't be considered as spyware (as a isolate program) but it's toying with the current law, zango himself can't be a spyware but under the sleeve it install spyware. Even worst, the third party software (that can be another Zango product) can install another new set of nastyware.
In the same basis, Google (just a example) can follow some confidentiality rules but also can share their data to a third party, this third party can do with this information whatever they want to.
Even the FBI can use this kind of legal void.
--190.47.241.187 (talk) 23:20, 31 August 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: Liability 

message: the "seekmo" section is addressing the reader directly. -- Kl4m T C 06:12, 3 September 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  seekmo 

message: video game director's cuts got pwned by zango, it says that i need zango to view the site >:( 71.12.79.243 23:13, 21 July 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  damn 

message: The "official instructions" for how to remove Zango are located at zango.com, a site that many community members of WOT have marked Untrustworthy.
AKA: they don't work. I have changed them over to a safe one. --MasterOfTheXP (talk) 22:51, 3 October 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Bad external links 

message: It should be noted that zango has now been removed from 4megaupload. rapidlibrary, and filesfind. -----71.10.88.69 (talk) 22:41, 22 October 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Zango has been removed 

message: I think we should mention their ads. I was re-introduced to Zango (which, I might add, was my first malware experience) by an internet banner ad advertising Counter-Strike wallhacks, maphacks, multihacks, whatever. I, personally, would call this "advertising that's just so evil everyone blames the person who falls for it". In other words, EVIL!!!
And, on another note, I think that this bit with the companies higher-ups requesting (and making) edits that are blatantly against Wikipedia's policies. I think a ban may be in order. 68.102.253.212 (talk) 01:34, 10 June 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Advertising 

message: I found the Zango setup on the desktop,but...i never downloaded it.I think zango,may be going into computers and putting in the setup.Unsurprisingly,i deleted it as fast as lighting.Anyway,has this happened to anyone else?And if so,should we put it in the article?Mariofan1000 (talk) 07:44, 27 October 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: I see the change of executives hasn't changed anything.  Anyway, per policy on original research, we should ideally only include it in the article if it can be cited to a reliable source.  Might be worth doing a Google search or something.  Of course, the really curious readers will see your comment on this page. Adrian J. Hunter(talk•contribs) 08:13, 27 October 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Zango going into computers 

message: According to Computerworld, Zango was bought out by  Blinkx PLC.  I'm leaving this link here so I remember to update the article later, but if someone else wants to take a shot at it, go ahead. -- ArglebargleIV (talk) 14:03, 21 April 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: Thanks, have just added it, I don't see any reliable sources commenting beyond what CW says (nor are Zango or Blinkx so far), so not many details on what happens next.  --CliffC (talk) 14:33, 21 April 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Zango bought out, closing  

message: I've added links to Zango's successors:
*Extant brands formerly owned by Zango:
**  Website of Hotbar, formerly owned by Zango, now part of Pinball Corporation
** Website of Seekmo, formerly owned by Zango, now part of Pinball Corporation
** Pinball Corporation website
** Another Pinball Corp. website. ZangoCash redirects here
I think they're relevant and uncontroversial, but please delete if considered inappropriate (as per comment in external links section) Pol098 (talk) 13:42, 8 April 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  Links to extant brands added 

message: This article still has a 'neutrality' tag suggesting there is a dispute over content, but I see no new discussion from the past six months, and the article content is extensively cited. If anyone has open issues with the current content, please point them out here.Dialectric (talk) 20:56, 21 June 2014 (UTC)
replies: text: The question today is "Where are they now?" Their main successor seemed to be Pinballcorp, but today, that web site is displaying "The page cannot be displayed because an internal server error has occurred."  "hotbar.com" is no longer in DNS.  "blinkx.com" is up, offers a video search engine, and appears to have given up toolbars and such for Facebook connections.  "blinkx.com" shares a DNS server with "pinballcorp.com". Not yet clear whether Pinballcorp is out of business or just having server problems. "zango.com", the domain, is parked and for sale. John Nagle (talk) 21:33, 21 June 2014 (UTC)
replies: text:  The problem is that this article puts undue weight on Zango's role as a malware provider. ViperSnake151  Talk   22:33, 21 June 2014 (UTC)
replies: text: That's the business they were in. They were notorious in their day.  John Nagle (talk) 23:03, 21 June 2014 (UTC)
replies: text: Current ownership and status does seem to be unknown, but I don't see a dispute there, just a lack of recent information. There is a lot of content on the malware/adware issue and related lawsuits, but as Nagle points out, they have a reputation both in the press and in legal proceedings that suggests this weight is justified. If any user wants to add independent refs that show another aspect of the company, they can do so.Dialectric (talk) 23:24, 21 June 2014 (UTC)
replies: text: Also, off the topic of neutrality, I plan to merge Zango Messenger into this article soon unless anyone has objections.Dialectric (talk) 23:28, 21 June 2014 (UTC)
replies: text: That makes sense, given the tiny size of that article. Do we have any more Zango-related articles?  John Nagle (talk) 01:06, 22 June 2014 (UTC)
replies: text: I searched and didn't find any more related articles, (though Talk:180 Solutions probably should have been merged). Easy message is peripherally related, but I plan on afd'ing that one soon.Dialectric (talk) 01:29, 22 June 2014 (UTC)
thread_title:  2014 Neutrality discussion 

message: Hello fellow Wikipedians,
I have just added archive links to  on Zango (company). Please take a moment to review my edit. If necessary, add  after the link to keep me from modifying it. Alternatively, you can add  to keep me off the page altogether. I made the following changes:
*Added archive https://web.archive.org/20100402082118/http://www.seekmo.com:80/ to http://www.seekmo.com/
When you have finished reviewing my changes, please set the checked parameter below to true to let others know.
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thread_title:  External links modified 

message: Hello fellow Wikipedians,
I have just modified  on Zango (company). Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:
*Added  tag to http://corporate.zango.com/Press/ReadArticle.aspx?id=57
*Added archive http://web.archive.org/web/20071012120747/http://zango.com:80/Destination/Catalog/tags.aspx?group=popular to http://zango.com/Destination/Catalog/tags.aspx?group=popular
*Added archive http://web.archive.org/web/20060722101119/http://blog.180solutions.com:80/PermaLink,guid,b0fc12f9-e1f0-4a7a-998f-0b2f11d1fafd.aspx to http://blog.180solutions.com/PermaLink,guid,b0fc12f9-e1f0-4a7a-998f-0b2f11d1fafd.aspx
*Added archive http://web.archive.org/web/20081217234110/http://www.globes.co.il:80/serveen/globes/DocView.asp?did=1000407591&fid=1725 to http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/DocView.asp?did=1000407591&fid=1725
*Added archive http://web.archive.org/web/20090424074659/http://www.computerworld.com:80/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9131858&intsrc=news_ts_head to http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9131858&intsrc=news_ts_head
*Added archive http://web.archive.org/web/20110101153952/https://www.pay-per-install.org/pinball-partner-network-zangocash/ to https://www.pay-per-install.org/pinball-partner-network-zangocash/
*Added archive http://web.archive.org/web/20080706213125/http://www.cdt.org/publications/policyposts/2006/2 to http://www.cdt.org/publications/policyposts/2006/2
*Added archive http://web.archive.org/web/20100408083319/http://www.hotbar.com:80/ to http://www.hotbar.com/
*Added  tag to http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Science/2006/03/01/symantec_settlement_riles_hotbar/8883/
*Added archive http://web.archive.org/web/20070101230209/http://www.stopbadware.org:80/home/reports to http://www.stopbadware.org/home/reports
When you have finished reviewing my changes, please set the checked parameter below to true or failed to let others know (documentation at ).
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thread_title:  External links modified