Immoral advertising 

Para-Noid · 2014-02-06T17:00:15.000Z

This is something any and all advertisers do if it is in their interest(s).
When there are a number of break-ins in a neighborhood security companies
are out there advertising their services. This is as old as the hills. If there is a need,
there will be someone willing to provide.

The argument can be made for “any” anti-virus software that, “the threat of computer infection is a common
problem so you need “our” protection”.

Do I have a problem with this advertising? No!
If there is a need which can be filled then so be it.

This is about security and not advertising!

bob3160 · 2014-02-06T17:00:24.000Z

Don't shoot the messenger for pointing out that flaw.

[b]The problem is that the messengers interpretation is flawed. [/b] Since this is not an avast but a political discussion and I don't think political discussions have any business on this forum, I'll leave it up to Avast to deal with this thread. I've already said enough. :)

polonus · 2014-02-06T17:04:04.000Z

Hi Silviu C.

Are you a communication and media man?
You know how it works, they had a message and they had to find something to depict it.
It is not always original what they do.
I know of a site that borrows general copyright free pictures and then start to add a message inside with a program like PhotoShape etc.
See example attached.
It is all part of the character of communication & media on the Interwebs - momentary, casual, and fugacious.
This is not only avast! doing.

polonus

system · 2014-02-06T17:12:48.000Z

I don’t care about how original or derivative their advertising material is.

What I take issue is that they took what I believe to be immoral content and built their advert on it. And Bob, this is about Avast and how they chose to build their advertising material.

Feel free to report me for whatever improper behaviour you think I’m guilty of, Bob.

Charyb-0 · 2014-02-06T17:13:09.000Z

How can this be propaganda when the threat is very real?

It would be the same at any event of this magnitude in any venue.

HackFest 2014

system · 2014-02-06T17:17:51.000Z

Charyb post:23:

How can this be propaganda when the threat is very real?

It would be the same at any event of this magnitude in any venue.

But that is not what the nice men in the video suggest now, is it? It’s all about what can happen to you in Russia. Pay attention to the language they use.

Charyb-0 · 2014-02-06T17:19:26.000Z

Because the Olympics are being held in Russia this year and they are informing people of the risks of their devices being hacked.

system · 2014-02-06T17:21:55.000Z

They imply that what they say can happen only in Russia when, in fact, it can happen to you anywhere in the world provided that the same conditions are met.

Charyb-0 · 2014-02-06T17:27:45.000Z

Silviu C. post:26:

They imply that what they say can happen only in Russia when, in fact, it can happen to you anywhere in the world provided that the same conditions are met.

No, you imply. I am not seeing it and don’t agree with this.

I did find it interesting that Kaspersky commented in this NBC news segment. Are they also scaremongers?

system · 2014-02-06T17:31:55.000Z

There is one other person on this thread that agrees, at least partially, with me on the poor choice made by the advertising team.

Charyb post:27:

I did find it interesting that Kaspersky commented in this NBC news segment. Are they also scaremongers?

Are you asking this based on the fact that they were asked to comment or based on what they actually said?

bob3160 · 2014-02-06T17:34:34.000Z

Silviu C. post:26:

They imply that what they say can happen only in Russia when, in fact, it can happen to you anywhere in the world provided that the same conditions are met.

That is your assumption and you should know what happens when you assume…

system · 2014-02-06T17:37:19.000Z

bob3160 post:29:

Silviu C. post:26:

They imply that what they say can happen only in Russia when, in fact, it can happen to you anywhere in the world provided that the same conditions are met.

That is your assumption and you should know what happens when you assume…

I don’t assume anything. That is what they say.

Visitors to Russia can expect to be hacked

Yeah, ok

Charyb-0 · 2014-02-06T17:39:47.000Z

Silviu C. post:28:

There is one other person on this thread that agrees, at least partially, with me on the poor choice made by the advertising team.

Charyb post:27:

I did find it interesting that Kaspersky commented in this NBC news segment. Are they also scaremongers?

Are you asking this based on the fact that they were asked to comment or based on what they actually said?

http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/54273832#54273832
Approximately 2:24

Sergey Novikov - Kasperky Lab

“All this needs protection, of course, because every, every segment of this huge,
huge, huge infrastructure can be under attack.”

polonus · 2014-02-06T17:41:21.000Z

Hi Silviu C.

You are a market research software analyst.
When I think about wgen you will make a report to a competitor this will cover:
Gathered information about consumers
Gathered information about competitors
Provided industry analysis
Forecasted consumer trends
Developed marketing forecasts
Developed data gathering strategies, including questionnaires, polls and surveys
Kept a pulse on current and future market conditions
Analyzed data and provide recommendations
Presented findings to management

I think users here on the avast support forums isn’t exactly your target community
as you may have found from their reactions in this thread

polonus

system · 2014-02-06T17:58:37.000Z

Charyb post:31:

http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/54273832#54273832
Approximately 2:24

Sergey Novikov - Kasperky Lab

“All this needs protection, of course, because every, every segment of this huge,
huge, huge infrastructure can be under attack.”

The above states something that may or may not happen, which is an attack on some infrastructure, presumably the one that aids the people running the Olympic games, while this gem here:

If you are one of the thousands of visitors headed to Sochi, Russia for Friday’s 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony then you will be hacked.

states that if you’ll be attending the opening ceremony you will, for certain, be hacked. This is FUD.

polonus post:32:

Hi Silviu C.

You are a market research software analyst.

Oh wow. I am?

Para-Noid · 2014-02-06T18:35:20.000Z

The only reason Russia was mentioned is that they are the host country.
Not because users/attendees will be hacked. Hacking takes place at practically
every wifi in the world. avast was using this event to highlight the need to have
your devices secure wherever you are, not just the olympics.

I’m afraid you are making a mountain out of a molehill.

There’s nothing new here.

Charyb-0 · 2014-02-06T21:28:07.000Z

Silviu C. post:33:

Charyb post:31:

http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/54273832#54273832
Approximately 2:24

Sergey Novikov - Kasperky Lab

“All this needs protection, of course, because every, every segment of this huge,
huge, huge infrastructure can be under attack.”

The above states something that may or may not happen, which is an attack on some infrastructure, presumably the one that aids the people running the Olympic games, while this gem here:

If you are one of the thousands of visitors headed to Sochi, Russia for Friday’s 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony then you will be hacked.

states that if you’ll be attending the opening ceremony you will, for certain, be hacked. This is FUD.

You need to not only quote the first line of the topic, but the whole topic including the NBC News video and the experiment.
Otherwise, this can be taken out of context which is how you are using it.

In the experiment, three devices were connected to the internet and all three were hacked. The first line of the topic is a logical conclusion based on the experiment conducted.

Also, the infrastructure is the hardware, software, cabling, etc. that make up the internet. It’s not limited to, according to you, “an attack on some infrastructure, presumably the one that aids the people running the Olympic games.” This is not something that may or may not happen, it does happen and will continue to happen.

system · 2014-02-06T21:38:52.000Z

Charyb post:35:

You need to not only quote the first line of the topic, but the whole topic including the NBC News video and experiment.
Otherwise, this can be taken out of context which is how you are using it.

I would not need to quote anything if people would actually RTFM. So there you have it. Quotes. Shall I reproduce the whole blog post every time I try to make a point?

Charyb post:35:

In the experiment, three devices were connected to the internet and all three were hacked. The first line of the topic is a logical conclusion based on the experiment conducted.

In the experiment 3 devices were allegedly connected to the internet and they were allegedly hacked. There’s no proof of anything in the linked video. Just the NBC dude telling a scary russian hacker story.

Charyb post:35:

Also, the infrastructure is the hardware, software, cabling, etc. that make up the internet.

Whoa! That’s quite the extrapolation there and as fact, Kapsersky has a big contract to secure the operation centre of the Soci Olympics not of the entire Internet. See here for details: http://www.sochi2014.com/en/news-kaspersky-lab-named-sochi-2014-organizing-committee-anti-virus-software-supplier
That is what the Kasperski guy from the video was talking about.

Charyb-0 · 2014-02-06T21:53:07.000Z

Silviu C. post:36:

Charyb post:35:

You need to not only quote the first line of the topic, but the whole topic including the NBC News video and experiment.
Otherwise, this can be taken out of context which is how you are using it.

I would not need to quote anything if people would actually RTFM. So there you have it. Quotes. Shall I reproduce the whole blog post every time I try to make a point?

Charyb post:35:

In the experiment, three devices were connected to the internet and all three were hacked. The first line of the topic is a logical conclusion based on the experiment conducted.

In the experiment 3 devices were allegedly connected to the internet and they were allegedly hacked. There’s no proof of anything in the linked video. Just the NBC dude telling a scary russian hacker story.

Charyb post:35:

Also, the infrastructure is the hardware, software, cabling, etc. that make up the internet.

Whoa! That’s quite the extrapolation there and as fact, Kapsersky has a big contract to secure the operation centre of the Soci Olympics not of the entire Internet. See here for details: http://www.sochi2014.com/en/news-kaspersky-lab-named-sochi-2014-organizing-committee-anti-virus-software-supplier
That is what the Kasperski guy from the video was talking about.

I did RTFM. You quoted one line of the blog post while conveniently omitting the rest. I mentioned that all the material needs to be included.

You act like hacking just can’t happen in Russia and that this experiment is a hoax. Brian Williams and the security expert have created quite a conspiracy here. Let me know when Kaspersky chimes in on this. Or, are they also a part of it? I am interested to hear their view on it.

Kaspersky must know of this, they were included in the news story. Why aren’t they commenting that the news story and experiment are there to somehow tarnish Russia?

system · 2014-02-06T22:09:33.000Z

Charyb post:37:

Silviu C. post:36:

Charyb post:35:

You need to not only quote the first line of the topic, but the whole topic including the NBC News video and experiment.
Otherwise, this can be taken out of context which is how you are using it.

I would not need to quote anything if people would actually RTFM. So there you have it. Quotes. Shall I reproduce the whole blog post every time I try to make a point?

Charyb post:35:

In the experiment, three devices were connected to the internet and all three were hacked. The first line of the topic is a logical conclusion based on the experiment conducted.

In the experiment 3 devices were allegedly connected to the internet and they were allegedly hacked. There’s no proof of anything in the linked video. Just the NBC dude telling a scary russian hacker story.

Charyb post:35:

Also, the infrastructure is the hardware, software, cabling, etc. that make up the internet.

Whoa! That’s quite the extrapolation there and as fact, Kapsersky has a big contract to secure the operation centre of the Soci Olympics not of the entire Internet. See here for details: http://www.sochi2014.com/en/news-kaspersky-lab-named-sochi-2014-organizing-committee-anti-virus-software-supplier
That is what the Kasperski guy from the video was talking about.

I did RTFM. You quoted one line of the blog post while conveniently omitting the rest. I mentioned that all the material needs to be included.

You act like hacking just can’t happen in Russia and that this experiment is a hoax. Brian Williams and the security expert have created quite a conspiracy here. Let me know when Kaspersky chimes in on this. Or, are they also a part of it? I am interested to hear their view on it.

The blog post is linked at the start of the thread so people can read it, watch the silly video and make up their own minds about it.

I’m saying that the NBC created a video in which their journo tells a story about russian hackers. No proof of anything is ever provided in the video or anywhere else. Therefore it’s just a FUD piece with bias against the Russians. Probably because of political reasons. The advertising dpt. at Avast picked up this dodgy story and built an advert for the VPN product.

I called this action immoral as it tries to sell people on a product basing itself on the FUD spread by an NBC journalist telling a scary russian hacker story for which he provides no evidence.

Nowhere, in any previous posts, did I say that it’s not possible to get hacked there. I take issue when people say BS such as “Visitors to Russia can expect to be hacked” like that’s something 100% certain.

Charyb post:37:

Let me know when Kaspersky chimes in on this. Or, are they also a part of it? I am interested to hear their view on it.

Huh?

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