The antipiracy tool is regarded as spyware, again

Jul 4, 2006 13:36 GMT  ·  By

Although Microsoft has reissued the WGA antipiracy tool in order to respond to the increasing criticism from users of Windows operating system, and has relaxed the application fully disclosing the way it operates in the license, the harm is already done. A second class action lawsuit has been filled on Friday by a group of Washington business and persons that focuses on the test version of WGA.

"We're confident that the allegations made in these suits are without merit," said Microsoft spokesman Jim Dessler. "They really do distort the objectives of our anti-piracy program and obscure the real issue here, which is the harm caused by piracy and counterfeiting not only to Microsoft, but to our customers. The program really has evolved to take into account customer feedback. It was carefully developed to address privacy in a manner that is respectful to our customers and is entirely lawful."

Earlier this week, Brian Jonson, a resident of Los Angeles has filled a similar class-action lawsuit in Seattle Federal court, claiming that the WGA software used misleading the users and that WGA Notification was acting as spyware.