Spyware, Adware, Malware, call it whatever you like, only exists because somebody is making money from its use.
If bone fide companies are paying hackers for the information (ilegally) gained by the use of these programmes then it seems to me that these companies should be the target for our anger.
Try taking the protection off your machine (or preferably a spare one) for 10 minutes and browse around looking at online insurance quote sites. Don't fill in any of the forms! Wait a few days to see which insurance companies suddenly start sending you mail.
These are the companies that are either buying the stuff from hackers or obtaining information about you directly.
Save all the offers that have pre-paid envelopes and then shuffle the forms and return them. It is only a small thing but at least you have the satisfaction of knowing that you have cost them postage and time in sending and then opening their own spam.
It is time that the governments of the world cracked down on these "Bone Fide" companies.

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