Microsoft faces a class action lawsuit in the US over
its Windows Genuine Advantage anti-piracy tools.
It is claimed that Microsoft’s actions broke state consumer
protection and anti-spyware laws.
He is challenging the software giant over changes to the way the
WGA tool, designed to test whether users have a licensed version of
the operating system, is delivered to users. The software was first
offered to users as an optional download in 2004.
But papers filed with the US District Court for the Western
District of Washington allege, “Beginning in April 2006, Microsoft
dramatically expanded the purpose, nature and functionality of WGA.
Microsoft also altered the means by which the program was delivered
to users’ computers. These alterations violated the law in several
respects.”
Instead of clearly labeling the software as an anti-piracy
download option, the firm described it as an “update” in its
package of automatic security updates. Users were given “false or
misleading information” about what the program would do once
installed, the lawsuit claims.
“Unbeknownst to users”, the WGA program contains functions that
communicate information about the users computer back to Microsoft,
the filed papers say.
Microsoft admitted last month that WGA was now being
automatically distributed to users’ PCs as a test version. Users
have complained that the software has been distributed by the
backdoor and contains bugs.