We have been receiving reports that people are seeing pop-ups advertising pornography and gambling on the Focus website.
In addition, we have more recently heard that pop-up ads advertising a Focus Web or “e-zine” have appeared on non-Focus websites.
Please be assured that these ads are in no way related to, or authorized by, Focus on the Family.
This assurance includes those pop-ups that appear to be advertising Focus products. If you see a pop-up like this, we would advise you to close the window. Because the pop-up is not generated by Focus, it is possible that a response to it could result in a compromise of your personal information.
The Problem
Many of these pop-up ads are caused by “spyware,” and it’s increasingly used by disreputable advertisers to push their products, and to monitor the Web pages viewed on infected computers. While not all pop-up ads are caused by spyware, you should know that spyware can be installed on a computer when a user views a Web page produced by a disreputable advertiser. The Web page itself may appear legitimate; it may even be referenced by a legitimate search engine such as Google, Yahoo or MSN. Once the spyware is installed, it causes unwanted pop-ups on Web sites that have absolutely no affiliation with the advertiser.
What to Do
While we can offer some advice for ridding your computer of spyware, at this time only qualified internet security software applications such as McAfee and Symantec (formerly Norton) can ensure that your computer is disinfected and protected.
We’ve provided the following links for further information on removing spyware and protecting your computer.
- McAfee
- Symantec (Norton)
If you experience unwanted pop-up ads and suspect that you have spyware on your computer, don’t participate in any e-commerce transactions (online shopping) until you have verified that spyware has been removed from your computer.
If you do complete an e-commerce transaction while spyware is installed on your computer, it is possible that your personal information may have been compromised.
A referral to an organization or organizations does not necessarily imply a full endorsement by Focus on the Family.
