Zango is Hijacking Videos!?

August 26, 2007 at 1:44 am · in Internet · Comments

WTF is this!?

I do a Google search to find the link for an old recording, and in the results I find Zango search results. It’s not the search results with search results that causes me concern, so much as the search results are from Zango. Moreover, three of the top 5 links in the Zango results are links to former recordings of mine. Not links to our YouTube channel, not links to our archives…

But if it weren’t Zango, I’d probably be thrilled. Why?

Let’s look at what happens when you click through to on one of my videos on Zango.com. Instead of being directed to the actual video, you’re directed to an intermediate page with a “Unlimited Play - Play Now!” header right next to the thumbnail for the video in question. WTF?! It gets worse.

In order to play the video through Zango, the user must agree to a EULA and a checkbox that clearly states:

By clicking “Continue” I represent that I (1) am at least 18, (2) agree to the EULA terms and (3) consent to install Zango and play Accounting Software.

But that disclaimer and action item is sitting next to:

Thanks to Zango, premium content on this and other websites is free, paid for by advertising. When installed, Zango software presents ads (based on keywords from your Internet browsing) in the Zango Toolbar and in a separate browser window that pops up on your screen. If included in this download, the Zango Outlook/Outlook Express Toolbar gives you access to free emoticons and other fun content from within Outlook or Outlook Express when you are online. Zango is always running and will upgrade automatically. You can uninstall Zango via Add/Remove Programs, but then won’t have access to most Zango content.

Now, unless I missed a checkbox somewhere, I don’t remember giving Zango permission to push crapware on my behalf. It’s the software installation part that has me queasy, especially given their questionable past. How many people have been duped into believing that they needed to install Zango before they could watch anybody’s video?

Don’t install Zango, people! You don’t need to install Zango to watch my videos, and I’ll go as far as to state that if you want to watch videos, the last place you’d want to watch them is on Zango or with anything they’d ever give you to install!!!

This is just… unacceptable. >:( If I were a lawyer, I’d file a lawsuit (class action?) tomorrow. They make it look as though the user needs to install Zango software in order to play back the content that I’ve already given to them for free.

Why hasn’t Google blacklisted these guys yet?

video advertisements, video playback

I would also recommend reading:

Do You Have any Thoughts?

MB’s Blog Zango is Hijacking Videos!? « - August 26, 2007 @ 5:51 am

[…] read more | digg story Posted in Uncategorized. […]

Bluefox - August 26, 2007 @ 10:50 am

Come on pirillo. This has been happening forever! Since zango has done this to you, now you are writing about it?

darkwing duck - August 26, 2007 @ 11:03 am

You are still a live Chris! Last time I saw on TV was Call for help that was a long time ago.

Jojo - August 26, 2007 @ 11:09 am

You might think about filing a DMCA take down notice as long as you are the copyright holder.

Enisity - August 26, 2007 @ 11:10 am

Comcast is not doing well on the Digg homepage today. First it was comcast cutting internet connection to people for using to much bandwitdth and now Comcast’s Zango there semi Youtube Rip off……HMMMM….CHRIS YOU should call comast support and ask them why…hahahha…on live….:)

tgpo - August 26, 2007 @ 11:20 am

I’ve posted a few semi-popular videos on Youtube and Google Video and I would be pissed if I found them being used to push a site that requires malware installation to view the video.

Have you contacted them yet to inform them that you are the copyright owner of the video and that you don’t want your work on their site?

Ed Goodsmith - August 26, 2007 @ 11:59 am

Why don’t you hire a lawyer and start a class action against Zango? It seems if somebody doesn’t stop this kind of thing it will just keep growing. Stop it before it gets out of hand.

P.S. welcome to the Digg tech frontpage I think this is your tenth time up? or am I mistaken

TheLostSkeleton - August 26, 2007 @ 12:35 pm

Not the first time I’ve seen this happen. More often than not on Youtube, clicking the “links” button - to see what sites are linking to your videos - will turn up a slew of sites that have “borrowed” your video and put it in to their database, where they get advertising dollars for something you created.

That’s why Youtube (and any other video site worth using) has an option to disable embedding of your content.

Markus Diersbock - August 26, 2007 @ 2:23 pm

It’s funny how when it’s the Big Bag Studios who have their product
thown up on sites without their permission, it’s fine.

But, when YOUR work is co-opted, you get yer panites in a bunch.

R - August 26, 2007 @ 2:23 pm

Just send them a good old C&D, that may do the trick. If not, and they are operating in a country with laws, sue the **** out of them.

WhatAreYouWatching - August 26, 2007 @ 2:44 pm

Hey,
It has to do with the fact that anyone can upload file to Zango and make a commission off of the ad views on that video. So someone went and uploaded your videos to there site and they’re making money off of it every time it’s viewed. Zango is a spyware video host - like YouTube but now wih really bad spyware.

There a lot of sites that use Zango to profit from the uninformed visitors, and with DivX’s new Stage 6 which pushes it’s own plugin - users think it’s an innocent step to get videos, when in fact Zango really peddles some very nasty malware. They use a mutex trojan to also display popup ads even when no browser window is open. Be careful as they’re also some reports that some very unsavoury sites do business with Zango.

wtf - August 26, 2007 @ 3:29 pm

That’s messed up.

Pirillo Getting Zango Spam Out of Google Index at Moogle1, by Mike Bijon - August 26, 2007 @ 3:37 pm

[…] agree with Chris Pirillo’s post about how Zango is hijacking free video content. Unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be much recourse available to him directly now that his […]

myname - August 26, 2007 @ 4:14 pm

Zango has already been condemned once.
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/n.....gal-adware

Clean Your Computer - August 26, 2007 @ 6:52 pm

Chris Pirillo was looking at search results for one of his videos and noticed that Zango was leeching off of him at number 2 in Google results. As a result, he ranted about it onhis site. Digg has picked up on it as well, so go Digg it up and Digg down the Zango promoters.

Security Ticker - August 26, 2007 @ 7:05 pm

his site

AnonymousCoward - August 26, 2007 @ 7:57 pm

you are so into your own issues that you werent aware of this at least months ago??

Universe_JDJ’s Blog - August 26, 2007 @ 8:56 pm

’s not the search results with search results that causes me concern, so much as the search results are from Zango. Moreover, three of the top 5 links in the Zango results are links to former recordings of mine. - Clickread more| digg story

Diet Alert - August 27, 2007 @ 9:53 am

From : http://chris.pirillo.com/2007/.....re-fiasco/< /a> At : 2007-08-27T03:50:03+0 Revver appears to be the ones serving up thevideos through Zango, and they also appear to have known about it for quite some time. Since I’m uploading my videos to Revver, I’m opening myself up to the relationship they apparently have with Zango - merely another affiliate, albeit one with questionable

drew olanoff - August 27, 2007 @ 2:28 pm

seriously guys, how is someone going to patrol the net for this kind of stuff on a daily basis. when you have a site like lockergnome and a conference like gnomedex you have to protect yourself. it’s not vanity, its called protecting yourself and then sharing with others.

Vitalsecurity.org - A Revolution is the Solution - August 27, 2007 @ 4:51 pm

this

Windows Fanatics - August 28, 2007 @ 8:00 pm

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can be of any assistance, Asi Behar VP, Software Engineering - Revver asi {@} revver_com Steve Stratz, Zango’s Director of Public Relations, responded tothis- albeit privately. Bottom line: Zango is willing and able to remove videos from its index, and it’s not breaking any rules by using Revver’s API. It’s no more hijacking videos than you would be by embedding them in your own site, but that was

Eric - August 28, 2007 @ 10:37 pm

What the hell is going on. My video How to test your Anti-Virus Software is on zango. I think YouTube is allowing Zango to put YouTube videos on there site. This is bs. What is going on?

Affiliate Marketing Blog by Shawn Collins - September 3, 2007 @ 2:28 pm

his videos were being distributed via Zango

Myspace.com Blogs:affiliatemarketer MySpace Blog - September 3, 2007 @ 3:41 pm

Last week, Chris Pirillo was exasperated to find out thathis videos were being distributed via Zangoand required installation of the Zango software to view these videos, which are otherwise widely available for free. For any affiliates not familiar with Zango and their negative history with affiliate marketers,

Zango Sucks | Zango Sucks - September 6, 2007 @ 3:15 am

that the Plaintiff will be able to prove that the Defendant’s software was unfair or deceptive” Zango decided against pursuing the anti-malware vendor. The estimable Ben Edelman has further Zango updates on his website. Update: the bad news.Zango is up to dirty tricks again(did they ever stop?) this time hijacking other peoples’ videos for profit. Chris Pirillo writes, Now, unless I missed a checkbox somewhere, I don’t remember giving Zango permission to push crapware on my behalf. It