Symantec sues for right to delete spyware

Symantec is suing a developer of adware in the US over its right to delete such programs.

The company in question, Hotbar.com, has launched five legal campaigns over the past year to stop Symantec removing the adware it produces.

Symantec claims that Hotbar.com's software products "are indeed adware and can be treated as computer security risks".

"By asking the court for clarification on this issue in our favour, we hope to continue alerting our customers about the presence of these program files, protecting them against possible security risks," said Joy Cartun, senior director of legal affairs at Symantec.

"Through this effort, we're trying to ensure that our customers have more control over the programs that run on their computers."

Hotbar.com was set up by two Israeli friends and claims that 10 million people use its products. It has filed suits against multiple security software manufacturers which treat its products as adware.

"Hotbar's claim that it has an inalienable right to do this is perverse," said Graham Titterington, principal analyst at Ovum.

"It would be good for the judge to go further and insist that adware purveyors pay for the time and resources they use without the permission of the owner, but that would be going beyond what we could reasonably hope for.

"We hope and expect that the traditional US respect for private property will triumph over modern day commercialism."