Starting March 1, 2018, Windows Defender and other Microsoft products will begin removing programs that repeatedly display ads with the intent of pressuring a user to purchase the software. This includes programs like Registry Cleaners and various Optimizers that optimize your computer.
Typically, these programs work in the following way: You download the version that offers free scans, after the scan starts, various problems are detected that require the user to purchase the product in order to fix them. To make this change, Microsoft will add some new rules to its programs in order to detect this type of advertising. Specifically, it says:
Unwanted behaviors: coercive messages
Programs should not display alarming or coercive messages or misleading content to pressure you to pay for additional services or perform unnecessary actions.
Software that forces users may display the following messages:
- It reports errors in an exaggerated or alarming manner about the user's system and demands that the user pay to resolve the errors or perform other actions, such as downloading a file, signing up to receive email updates, etc.
- It suggests that no other action will fix the reported errors or issues.
- It requires the user to act within a limited period of time to resolve the alleged issue.
This is a very important step, as these types of products have long been a problem, especially for users who may not have experience with computers.
With the release of these new criteria, developers will be required to either comply or remove their software. Companies that develop these types of programs can submit their software to Microsoft for validation using Windows Defender Security Intelligence. Microsoft will then evaluate the program and determine whether it should be removed or not.
