Those companies claiming their spyware is "benign" ought to be shut down and its management thrown in prison.
No one should have any right whatsoever to go onto our computers without our expressed (not implied or default) consent. "Annoying" is NOT "benign"; annoying is harassment.
The analogy would be demanding the right to sneak into your living room and claiming it's ok because they'll just sit there and not steal or touch anything. They'll still in your living room.
Can anyone defend these companies?
Why can't the operating systems be set up to block them out?
So this guy is peaking in my window, and promising he won't share the pictures of me naked? I'm supposed to feel better about that?
Why is that so unfair? If an individual committed a crime, that crime remains on their record for life and will blacklist them from a great many jobs places to live for life. Why should a company not suffer the same consequences for sleazyness? (And companies don't go to jail.)
We need computer privacy laws so that such 'demand letters' would be laughed at.
[public replies, please]