Ghostery, Inc.

Review: This company uses computer viruses to insert intrusive pop up advertisements into my computer work space. This disruptive form of advertising is costing me untold loss of productivity while working on my computer. I've traced the source back to this company for using the computer viruses that have infected my computer. This type of aggressive advertising is damagig my business and my computer equipment. I want it stopped immediately or I will seek legal action to sue this computer advertising company for illegal business practices.Desired Settlement: For this company to stop infecting my computer with their malware!

Business

Response:

Dear [redacted]-

Review: Evidon has install unwanted unrequested malware advertising on my computer.Desired Settlement: instructions from the company on how to uninstall unwanted malware immediately or I will amend this or further complain to demand damages for my time and this imposition.

Consumer

Response:

What kind of clarification are you requesting of me? As I stated in my complaint, I want to know how to uninstall the malware that has infected my computer. I can opt out of the services they keep throwing at me, but I want to uninstall the program, itself, which is not in my list of ptograms through my control panel, nor is it in the ADD-ons. And they don't provide the uninstall information. They also have no responsive contact information.

Business

Response:

Evidon does not engage in the installation of malware. That is an allegation that is not based upon fact and is patently false.

Our privacy enhancing product, [redacted], when downloaded, allows a user to see the invisible tracking that is occuring on any given website and to control that tracking. If a third party that is tracking the user installs malware, that is not us.

o uninstall [redacted] the user can go to the [redacted] application and click the 'gear wheel' located in the top right hand corner, then choose Options, About, FAQ, and the Support Forum at the bottom of the page. In the Support Forum there are instructions how to uninstall the [redacted] browser extension.

He can also just email us and we will happily respond.

Review: Ghostery Enterprise collected inaccurate information about my personal habits and interests from a 3rd party falsely claiming to be the [redacted]. The information claims I need Depends adult diapers, baby diapers, toilet paper and feminine hygiene supplies. This is incorrect and needs to be fixed. I contacted the [redacted] and found that I do not have an account with them. In order to receive online ads for Depends adult diapers and products on behalf of [redacted] I need an established account with them beforehand. Ghostery supplied the inaccurate 3rd party information to [redacted] after one of their associates; [redacted], added it to my Ghostery customer profile.

Attempting to contact Ghostery Enterprise is futile. I cannot directly call them to correct their marketing error and seeing Depends diaper ads through [redacted] on my computer is disgusting. The Depends adult diapers and Poise underwear liners banner ads forced me to install a strong ad block on my browser. Ghostery Enterprise will not allow me to correct their severely inaccurate customer information they carry attached to my name.Desired Settlement: Delete all personal information you have on me, [redacted] from your advertising database and ad network. Contact [redacted] and tell them your error in sending incorrect information about me and my interests, then make them remove the inaccurate information from their ad server. Contact your associate [redacted]; who supplied the inaccurate information to Ghostery Enterprise and have them delete all personal information you have on me as well.

When all this done email me at: [redacted] with the following message: "Account Cleared" If you need my IP address, MAC address or Internet connection configuration use my email address provided with the compliant to request it.

Business

Response:

Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this complaint. Although the information in the complaint is vague, let me start by saying that, while I am empathetic to the complainant's frustrations, Ghostery is in no way responsible for any of the actions he alleges. Ghostery's privacy enhancing tool actually supports transparency and control to the consumer. Our free privacy tool, also called Ghostery, is the world's most popular consumer privacy tool, having been downloaded more than 40 million times. It's purpose is to reveal to the consumer all the invisible tracking that is occurring on any given website and then empower the consumer with control over that tracking, e.g. he can block the tracking by any of the third parties on that site.

To be clear, we do not do any tracking, nor to we enable third parties to track a consumer. We simply make that invisible activity visible to the consumer so he/she can exercise control over it.

As to [redacted] serving behavioral advertisements based upon his browsing activities, I can't speak to the online practices of another company. I am quite happy to discuss this further and only wish that he had emailed us to ask what our involvement in the digital ecosystem might be. We are advocates for full consumer transparency, so consumers can be well informed about a company's digital practices and therefore make the right decisions for himself as they pertain to those digital practices.

Sincerely,

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

[redacted], this is not about your privacy browser plug-in. It's about your online data collection businesses and ad serving services found at: ghosteryenterprise.com

My complaint is not vague. Your company; Ghostery Enterprise works with [redacted] to serve ads based on online behavior through [redacted]. Your associate; [redacted], the 'Provider of technology to manage collections,

storage, protection , segmentation and use of online data.' thinks I need Depends diapers, Poise underwear liners, Huggies baby diapers, Scott toilet paper and GoodNites absorbent underwear from [redacted]

Hence I now get unwanted [redacted] products served to my browser sessions through [redacted]. The suggestions came from [redacted] and Ghostery Enterprise dutifully serves ads based on flawed customer profiling provided to

[redacted]. In order to receive [redacted] product ads through [redacted] I need an account with [redacted] beforehand to act as a 'opt-in' screening to prevent what you see today happening to me. [redacted] had nothing to do with this, I called them and I do not have an account attached to my name! Why don't you give them a call?

I attached a series of screen shots showing the ads and who is hosting them. Also, I would like to discuss this problem on the phone with you. Companies such as Ghostery Enterprise collect information about online users but when it comes to the users contacting the data collectors nobody is home.

I tried calling your company and was hanged up on twice. Completely unacceptable behavior for a company that values transparency. Anyone who calls: ###-###-#### should be able to talk to a employee during regular businesses hours.

The fact remains, if [redacted] is not the ones responsible for the ads then it points to [redacted] who is working with YOU to provide the unwanted ads based in false behavior information to [redacted]. The Ad networks pick up on your recommendations to [redacted] and Depend diaper ads are on my browser.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Thank you for the clarification. To be clear, we do not, nor have we ever, served any ads. We are an approved [redacted] Icon Provider and many of the companies in the digital advertising ecosystem use us to serve the Icon and to provide the consumer with notice of THEIR online data practices and to give the consumer control over those practices. It may be a simple case that Turn has served ads to you that were not wanted. If that is the case, you should choose to opt-out of receiving the interest based ads from Turn and then, as per the principles of the [redacted]'s Self-Regulatory Program, that activity from the third party you opt out from should cease. All we are is the technology platform that serves the Icon and facilitates your opt-out preference if our tool is being used. We don't collect ANY consumer data and we never serve ads. We are very happy to discuss this matter with you personally to help resolve any lingering questions. If I can't have the conversation with you because of my travel schedule, I am happy to assign a resource to you that can do so.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved. I do have lingering questions for Ghostery Enterprise and need to arrange a time to contact them over the phone.

Sincerely,

Review: So sometime around the 2nd week in April of 2015 I suddenly start getting cookie notifications popping up on the screen on SOME website pages. Case in point the [redacted] browse programming page.

The pop-up reads:

[redacted] uses cookies for advertising, personalization and other purposes. Learn more or change your cookie settings. By continuing to use our service, you agree to our use of cookies.

with the words "Learn more" highlighted as a web link pointing to [redacted]

and the words "change your cookie settings" highlighted as a web link pointing to [redacted] was incorporated with Ghostery Enterprise division of Ghostery Inc

The second link IS THE MOST OBTUSE, CONFUSING AND UNINFORMATIVE PAGE AS TO WHO IS RESPONSIBLE and WHY that I have ever found.

What is worse is that this pop-up is interfering with my internet browsing experience AS IT KEEPS SHOWING UP EVERY TIME I VISIT THE PAGE, which is often because it is the page that one selects what TV show/Movie to watch. Since there seems to be little UNDERSTANDABLE support as to how to make this go away or how to configure it so it does not interfere with my browsing, that to me it APPEARED I WAS INFECTED WITH A VIRUS! And I am a computer technician with over 31 years of experience. I spent over 14 hours with [redacted] and [redacted] support at a cost of $156.45 and only after TWO WEEKS of investigations with support from these two companies, do I find out that it was instituted by [redacted] (and sponsored by the Revdex.com HOW IRONIC)Desired Settlement: I want Ghostery Inc to tell me in simple easy to understand terms as to how to prevent this popup from constantly reoccurring on my web browsers when I visit [redacted] or any other site that this pop-up occurs with.

I also want reimbursement for the costs involved dealing with what appeared to be malware (although technically it isn't) NOT ONLY to me but to the [redacted] and [redacted] support teams as well!

Business

Response:

To be clear, Ghostery does not track a user nor deploy tracking technologies. Our free consumer tool, the Ghostery Plug in, allows a person to see the invisible tracking by OTHER parties. If another company's notice is confusing, we encourage the user to contact them directly. If you choose to turn off our "Purple Box" that shows the invisible tracking, do the following:Can I turn off that purple box?You can. You can configure Ghostery's display options in lots of ways, including hiding us entirely. In Ghostery's options menu, click “Advanced” and choose from any of the options in the “Display Options” section.If you want to uninstall Ghostery, see below:How can I uninstall Ghostery?Ghostery can be disabled or removed from your browser's extension or add-on settings menu. Ghostery is not installed as a separate program on your computer.I installed Ghostery, but I can't find it.When you install Ghostery on any browser, it inserts an icon into your browser's address bar. If you’re having trouble finding it, try adjusting your browser's display settings.