They can't spy on me as I have the remedy, Anti-Spy.

It is not a big deal.
I fix computer for a living.
If you surf the web haphazzardly and do not pay attention do what you download or fail to read user agreements you will get infested with Spyware.
Remember RateitAll people this is the WWW there are good neighborhoods and bad and if you are in the bad websites then you will get infested.
Do not use file sharing programs to download music and movies(it's illegal)such as Limewire,Bearshare,Kaazza,Morpheus,Ares also stay off the porno sites and be careful of anything that says "FREE"
If you have questions I will be happy to help!

The spyware threat is getting worse every month...I personally suggest you run Firefox and use a commrcial scanner. There are honest reviews of the best commercial spyware scanners here: http://www.spyware-reviews.com

The spyware threat is getting worse every month...I personally suggest you run Firefox and use a commrcial scanner. There are honest reviews of the best commercial spyware scanners here: http://www.spyware-reviews.com

What gives these companies the right to download this rubbish onto your software?

It's not the spying on my surfing habits thing that bothers me that much (I don't think I have anything to hide really), it's the fact that companies feel the need to practically take over your computer in order to get an ad across. The absolute worst spyware I had pretty much paralyzed my computer, switching my home page, creating massive amounts of pop-ups, and slowing my browser down tremendously. I had to go into my computer's registry under safe mode and delete files at whim in order to get rid of it.

Spyware causes my computer to slow down quite a bit and it irritates me, so every week I do a spyware check with both of the anti-spyware programs I have - namely Ada-ware and Spybot.

SpyWare seems relatively new, though perhaps I'm just not as cutting edge as I should be. As I understand it, SpyWare is a program that is covertly (or perhaps one agrees to it in the fine print) installed on one's computer. The program keeps track of the websites that are visited, and some may even record your keyboard strokes. This information is sent to interested parties for whatever reason. As another comment noted, things can be done to at least lower the risk of an intrusion such as using Ad-Aware which is free to download and use. The long-term effects of SpyWare remain to be seen (as opposed to viruses and worms), so that loses a star.

You know all the paranoid conspiracies about companies and the government spying on your internet usage? Well, from what I understand, that's at least partially true. My husband installed and ran Ad-aware, a program which tracks and removes files downloaded onto your computer while you're on the 'net which tracts your internet usage; The program found over forty of 'em. That can make anyone who uses online bill paying options a little freaked.