Why You Shouldn't Rely on Ad-Aware
Windows All Versions

(This tip is based on a question from Sandy who asks "You advertise SpySweeper and Spybot Search & Destroy. I am using Ad-ware. Am I fine with Ad-aware or should I switch to one of the two you recommend? I believe Ad-aware is similar to the two you recommend. Do you have any comparisons or suggestions?")

As of this writing, Ad-Aware does not detect some of the most well-known spyware/adware. For example, it doesn't detect Hotbar, Claria's Gator, WeatherScope, Dashbar, 180 solutions, and other programs that most anti-spyware programs recognize and remove, In fact, Ad-Aware on its site declares that adware, for the most part, is harmless. This is strange that a program whose name suggests that adware needs to be removed does not remove most adware from you computer and, in fact, considers it harmless.

Ad-Aware at one time was one of our favorite anti-adware and anti-spyware programs. But, they've been threatened with lawsuits by several suspected spyware and adware developers. Their response was to remove from their spyware/adware definitions anyone they perceived as a threat to them - not you. In other words, it appears to us, they caved in to the threats fearing financial ruin. It's understandable but not excusable. After all millions have relied (and still rely) on Ad-Aware to protect them. But, Ad-Aware chose self-preservation over your needs. And, looking out for number one has made Ad-Aware weak and worth ZERO in our book.

We still cannot understand how a program called "Ad-Aware" can say that adware is, for the most part harmless. Even if the adware does not threaten your privacy it can be a stinger for your system's stability and a drain on your resources. Every ad displayed in an adware program uses your resources. For what? To display advertising you don't want to see anyway? And most adware shows you targeted advertising based on your private use of your browser and computer. They do this by several means, all of which are potential security risks and, to our way of thinking, privacy violations.

We will never recommend Ad-Aware until it demonstrates that it cares about its users as much as it does about itself. If they're going call adware "harmless" then they should change their name to "Spy-Aware" or "Really-Bad-Stuff-Aware" - or anything that describes what the program might actually do. In other words, anything other than "Ad-Aware".