IndiaSphere

StopBadware.org claims RealPlayer 10.5 fails to “accurately and completely disclose the fact that it installs advertising software on” a user’s computer. It also claims RealPlayer 11 is badware because it “does not disclose the fact that it installs Rhapsody Player Engine software, and fails to remove this software when RealPlayer is uninstalled.”

According to StopBadware.org’s definition of badware it is “malicious software that tracks your moves online and feeds that information back to shady marketing groups so that they can ambush you with targeted ads.”

Ryan Luckin, spokesperson for RealNetworks, insists that both versions of RealPlayer are not badware, but acknowledges mistakes and user misconceptions exist in both products. He says changes will be made to both version of RealPlayer in response to the StopBadware.org classification. “Neither versions of RealPlayer put users at risk. They aren’t malware or install third-party programs on your PC,” Luckin says.