AskJeeves could have a lot of problems because of its Internet Explorer plugin, called Ask Jeeves' MySearch toolbar. In fact, several security experts consider that other AskJeeves products, such as MyWay Speedbar, FunWeb Products Smiley Central, CursorMania, FunBuddy Icons and MyFunCards could be rated as spyware products as well, since they are installed on the user's computer without his/her consent.

One of AskJeeves fiercest contestants is Sunbelt Software, a company which has published a 30 page document, in which it concluded that AskJeeves should change its distribution policy so that the application asks for the user's consent before the installation continues.

Sunbelt Software is a company which discovered in August a fraud scheme affecting over 50 banks, while analyzing a modified version of CoolWebSearch.

Sunbelt Software has published in the report regarding AskJeeves a list of all the applications rated as having a dangerous potential: Ask Jeeves Bar, Excite Speedbar, iWon Co-Pilot, My Global Search, My Search Bar, My Speedbar, My Web Search Toolbar and Need2Find Toolbar. All these toolbars are distributed by AskJeeves and by its partners.

Recently, AskJeeves officials have succeeded to convince several anti-spyware producers to change the spyware term into "low risk applications" and "potentially unwanted software".

Both Sunbelt Software, and Facetime Inc. have confirmed that the applications are not dangerous, the only change that has to be introduced being related to the way they are installed.


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