TRUSTe to Certify ‘Trusted Downloads’

By Geoff Duncan November 16, 2005

TRUSTe, an independent non-profit which monitors organizational email policies, privacy, and online policy matters has announced a new Trusted Download Program aimed to curb spyware, adware, and other malicious forms of software which may act without a users’ consent and be difficult to remove.

The Trusted Download Program will not act as “stamp” program which provides software products a “seal of approval” consumers can see; in fact, software certified under the Trusted Download Program will not be allowed to promote that fact. Instead, the Trusted Download Program will certify applications and software which meet particular criteria for trustworthiness, disclosure, and responsible practices. These programs will be included in a “white list” of trustworthy programs offered to program partners, who can then make decisions about whether they wish to distribute or be affiliated with the software.

Trusted Download Program partners currently include Yahoo, AOL, Verizon, CNET’s download.com, Computer Associates, and Verizon.

Criteria for certification include obtaining a plain-language consent to download and offering easy uninstall capabilities; the programs also may not engage in any prohibited activities such as taking over a computer, keystroke logging, collecting personal information, or maliciously modifying a computer’s settings. Software which displays ads or tracks user actions is not patently prohibited

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