The History of Adware

Adware may have you gripping your head in frustration.

Adware is software designed specifically for advertising. It's important to note that not all adware is malicious. Adware allows developers of free programs to make money through advertising for other products or services from within their program.

Internet Advertisements

Fix-Computer-Problem.com reports that one of the first instances of advertising on the Internet occurred in 1994 when a company called Hotwired introduced advertisements to their website.

Spam

One of the earliest malicious forms of adware is spam email. Spam entails sending out mass advertising emails to those who have not agreed to receive the mailing. Spam became such a prevalent problem that many email providers began filtering it to a special spam folder or automatically deleting it.

The Birth of Adware

By 1996, advertisers began tracking the Internet browsing habits of consumers. These advertisers used adware to collect such information and then display relevant ads based on surfing habits.

References

• Fix Computer Problem: Adware