Microsoft Drops on Coercive Registry Cleaners & System Optimizers[bleepingcomputer]

01 Feb 2018

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Starting March 1st 2018, Windows Defender and other Microsoft products will begin to remove programs that display coercive behavior designed to pressure a user into purchasing their software. This includes registry cleaners and system optimizers that offer free scans, detect issues with alarming messages, and then require the user to purchase the product before fixing anything.

To prepare for this change, Microsoft has updated their software evaluation criteria to include behaviors that will no longer be acceptable.

Unwanted behaviors: coercive messaging

Programs must not display alarming or coercive messages or misleading content to pressure you into paying for additional services or performing superfluous actions.

Software that coerces users may display the following characteristics, among others:

Reports errors in an exaggerated or alarming manner about the user’s system and requires the user to pay for fixing the errors or issues monetarily or by performing other actions such as taking a survey, downloading a file, signing up for a newsletter, etc.

Suggests that no other actions will correct the reported errors or issues

Requires the user to act within a limited period of time to get the purported issue resolved

For more, click here.