The Federal Trade Commission has announced that Zango, an adware distributor, has agreed to settle FTC charges that they used improper methods to download adware and blocked consumers from removing it.


The Federal Trade Commission has announced that Zango, an adware distributor, has agreed to settle FTC charges that they used improper methods to download adware and blocked consumers from removing it.

FTC Announcement

“Zango often used third parties to install adware on consumers’ computers. The adware, including programs named Zango Search Assistant, 180Search Assistant, Seekmo, and n-CASE, monitors consumers’ Internet use in order to display targeted pop-up ads. It has been installed on U.S. consumers’ computers more than 70 million times and has displayed more than 6.9 billion pop-up ads.” [source]

According to the settlement, Zango will have to provide a way for consumers to remove the adware, and will have to give up $3 million.

Lydia Parnes, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said: “Consumers’ computers belong to them, and they shouldn’t have to accept any content they don’t want,

If consumers choose to receive pop-up ads, so be it. But it violates federal law to secretly install software that forces consumers to get pop-ups that disrupt their computer use”. [source]

About FTC

The Federal Trade Commission works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them.

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