BleepingComputer.com > Viewpoint Media Player

BleepingComputer.com > Software > Audio and Video

TMacK

Jan 12 2007, 01:52 PM

Have read conflicting reports about VMP.
The Wikipedia definition leaves alot of questions unanswered.

Does everyone have Viewpoint Media Player running on their computer?
Seems redundant to have both WMP and VMP. Unless you need them for different applications.

Even noted in a HijackThis thread where an HJT Team member instructed the OP to remove VMP.
Short of pming him/her,I wonder why?
I know there are unfounded malware issues with it.

What are your thought on this?
Should I delete VMP?

Walkman

Jan 12 2007, 02:26 PM

Viewpoint is distributed with a number of OEMs including, AOL, AOL Instant Messenger, Netscape 7, HP/Compaq, Toshiba, Hitachi, Sony to name a few.

It's still up for debate if it's spyware or not. But the problem is that when it's being installed on your computer, you're not informed of it upfront.

Here is their privacy statement:

QUOTE

Viewpoint Media Player privacy policy http://www.viewpoint.com/company/privacy.html

Viewpoint Consumer Software and Your Privacy
At no time will we collect and store your personal information, nor will we request that you give us permission to do so.

Viewpoint is constantly innovating and implementing new features in The Viewpoint Media Player to provide the best possible user experience. For this reason, this site will continue to evolve as our software evolves. Please visit the site when we issue new versions and releases of Viewpoint to ensure that you have the most current information.

Regardless of how this Privacy Statement evolves with our software, however, Viewpoint will never collect your personally identifiable information without your consent. [and then in the next section....]

The Information That We Collect
To provide a satisfying consumer experience and to operate effectively, the Viewpoint Media Player periodically sends information to servers at Viewpoint. Each installation of the Viewpoint Media Player is identifiable to Viewpoint via a Customer Unique Identifier (CUID), an alphanumeric identifier embedded in the Viewpoint Media Player. The Viewpoint Media Player randomly generates the CUID during installation and uses it to indicate a unique installation of the product. A CUID is never connected to a user's name, email address, or other personal contact information. CUIDs are used for the sole purpose of filtering redundant information. Each of these information exchanges occurs anonymously.

Because the Viewpoint Media Player can update itself, we may need to update information regarding the plug-in as new software functionality evolves.

Download

If you decide to download the Viewpoint Media Player from the Viewpoint website, Viewpoint will not request your name, email, or system information.

Software Update
The Viewpoint Media Player is designed to check for the availability of software updates to ensure that you have the latest product improvements. When the Viewpoint Media Player checks for the availability of an update, basic information about the product version and installed components are sent anonymously to Viewpoint. This step determines whether new, free software is available for download.

User Interaction
The Viewpoint Media Player will soon be capable of tracking information about the content it displays and how the user interacts with it. When the Viewpoint Media Player displays Viewpoint content, it tracks the URL it is served from, as well as Viewpoint file data tagged by the author in XML. This data can include, but is not limited to: the names of objects and textures displayed, and the names of animations invoked.

What We Do with the Information We Collect
Much of the data sent by the Viewpoint Media Player is temporary data that is required only to enable a feature or service to be performed over the Internet. This data is discarded after its intended use is served. The information that we do store and track, we use in three ways:

+ To gather anonymous, aggregate statistical data to help us better understand the quality of our product and services and how they are used.
+ To provide our clients with information about how visitors to their sites use their content.
+ To provide services to help our clients enhance their products and presentation.

At no point is the CUID connected to a user's name, email address, or other personal contact information, nor will it be used in connection with the data provided to our clients.

From reading their privacy statement, it's definitely something I wouldn't want on my computer. I do recall some time ago, having a problem on one of my computers, and it led me to the un-installation of that program.

Another point to consider... Do you want anything on your computer that you specifically didn't install yourself, nor willingly known it was getting installed? I bet your answer is no?

To other viewers:
Right now, go to your c:\program files\ folder and look to see if you have a folder named Viewpoint Media Player. If you find it there, do you know where it came from? I'm betting that you don't.

TMacK

Jan 12 2007, 03:26 PM

Thanx for all the information Walkman.

I will try and remove VMP via Add/Remove Programs,perhaps in Safe Mode.

Have never d/led Ccleaner,so perhaps now is a good time.

Groffeaston

Feb 2 2008, 12:16 AM

Hi guys,

I went into my control panel on Windows Vista and saw that Viewpoint Manager was there, and it was not there before. So I clicked on it, to open it up, and to see what it was. Well, when I did, it said it was not there, It could not find it. Apparently, While I was trying to update AOL, This file must have started to be downloaded. But I decided to stop the download because it would take too long to complete. So I would wait to do it another day. I just realized, that it could be related to the AOL update download I was trying to do, and then stopped. Now my question I have is When I go to do the download again will this affect the download? or Should I try and delete it first?

Teenage.Zombiee

Feb 3 2008, 01:52 AM

To my knowledge, isn't viewpoint sometimes something undesierable?
As it comes with AIM without user consent?

Viewpoint is commonly installed with AIM without the explicit consent of the user because it is considered to be a "required" package.

QUOTE

VMP is sometimes considered to be spyware because the license agreement states that the software collects information about users' interactions with advertisements and the browser and operating system in use. This information is reported to Viewpoint and is delivered with a unique identifying code. Most people consider this to be an infringement on their privacy.

The addition of their advertisements and collection of information will most often create a performance decrease on the user's computer. Though Viewpoint can be partially removed through the Add/Remove programs dialog in Windows, many users have reported having to search for all folders with "Viewpoint" in the name to completely remove the program from their system.

Quote from Wikipedia- Viewpoint

Edit: TMack I would personally uninstall this if you did not install it yourself.

This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.