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The world of anti-pornography software is a shady one. Few reputable companies are making these products, and even fewer can be trusted not to engage in unethical practices.
One such company is Guardian AntiVirus, which markets itself as a protector of children from online pornography. However, a new report from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has revealed, “Guardian AntiVirus is spyware, capable of secretly recording users’ web browsing habits and sending this information back to the company’s servers.”
This type of software, known as “shameware,” is becoming increasingly common. It masquerades as a legitimate security product but is designed to collect sensitive information about the user without their knowledge or consent.
In the case of Guardian AntiVirus, the software comes with a “Web Protection” feature that is advertised as being able to block access to pornographic websites. However, this feature is a spying tool designed to record which websites the user visits and send this information back to Guardian AntiVirus servers.
This information could be used to create detailed profiles of users’ web browsing habits, which could be sold to third parties or used for other purposes.
The EFF has raised concerns that this type of spyware could target people researching sensitive topics, such as health conditions or political issues. It could also be used to track people’s movements online and could be abused by law enforcement agencies to collect information about people’s activities.
The EFF is calling on Guardian AntiVirus to disable its software’s spying feature immediately and urging other anti-pornography software companies to avoid using similar techniques.
This is not the first time anti-pornography software has secretly collected user data. In 2016, it was revealed that a popular program called “PC Decrapifier” was spyware designed to collect information about the user’s web browsing habits and send this back to the company’s servers.
The rise of shameware highlights the need for caution when downloading any software, especially security products. It is essential to research a product before downloading it and to be aware of the potential risks involved in using it.
Suppose you are concerned about the possibility of being spied on by anti-pornography software. In that case, you can use a privacy-focused web browser like Tor to prevent your activities from being tracked.
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