Malware is not only about viruses - companies preinstall it all the time

Since I started free software in the 80s, developers have grown to routinely mistreat users by shackling behaviour and snooping - but we have ways to resist

In 1983, when I started the free software movemnet, malware was so rare that each case was shocking and scandalous. Now it's normal

To be sure, I am not talking about viruses. Malware is the name for a program designed to mistreat its users. Viruses typically are malicious, but software products and software preinstalled in products can also be malicious - and often are, when not free/libre

In 1983, the software field had become dominated by proprietary (ie nonfree) programs, and users were forbidden to change or redistribute them. I developed the GNU operating system, which is often called Linux, to escape and end that injustice. But proprietary developers in the 1980s still had some ethical standards: they sincerely tried to make programs serve their users, even while denying users control over how they would be served.

How far things have sunk. Developers today shamelessly mistreat users; when caught, they claim that fine print in EULAs (end user licence agreements) makes it ethical. (That might, at most, make it lawful, which is different) So many cases of proprietary malware have been reported, that we must consider any proprietary program suspect and dangerous. In the 21st century, proprietary software is computing for suckers

What sorts of wrongs are found in malware? Some programs are designed to snoop on the user. Some are designed to shackle users, such as Digital Rights Management(DRM). Some have back doors for doing remote mischief. Some even impose censorship. Some developers explicitly sabotage their users.

What kinds of programs constitute malware? Operating systems, first of all. Windows snoops on users, shackles users and, on mobiles censors, shackles users and, on mobiles, censors apps; it also has a universal back door that allows Microsoft to remotely impose software changes. Microsoft sabotages Windows users by showing security holes to the NSA before fixing them.

Apple systems are malware too: MacOS snoops and shackles; iOS snoops, shackles, censors apps and has a back door. Even Android contains malware in a nonfree component: a back door for remote forcible installation or deinstallation of any app

What about nonfree apps? Plenty of malware there. Even humble flashlight apps for phones were found to be reporting data to companies. A recent study found that QR code scanner apps also snoop

Apps for streaming services tend to be the worst, since they are designed to shackle users against saving a copy of the data that they receive, as well as making users identify themselves so their viewing and listening habits can be tracked

What about other digital products? We know about the smart TV and the Barbie doll that transmit conversations remotely. Proprietary software in cars that stops those we used to call "car owners" from fixing "their" cars. If the car itself does not report everywhere you drive, an insurance company may charge you extra to go without a separate tracker. Meanwhile, some GPS navigators save up where you have gone in order to report back when connected to update the maps

Amazon's Kindle e-reader reports what page of what book is being read, plus all notes and underlining the user enters; it shackles the user against sharing or even freely giving away or lending the book, and has an Orwellian back door for erasing books

Should you trust an internet of proprietary software things? Don't be an ass

The companies that sell malware are skilled at spinning the malfunctionalities as services to the consumer but they could offer most of these services with freedom and anonymity if they wanted to

It is fashionable to recognise the viciousness of today's computing only to declare resistance unthinkable. Many claim that no one could resist gratification for mere freedom and privacy. But it's not as hard as they say. We can resist:

Individually, by rejecting proprietary software and web services that snoop or track

Collectively, by organising to develop free/libre replacement systems and web services that don't track who users them

Democratically, by legislation to criminalise various sorts of malware practices. This presupposes democracy, and democracy requires defeating treaties such as the TPP and TTIP that give companies the power to suppress democracy

to suppress democracy

give companies the power to suppress democracy

democracy requires defeating treaties such as the TPP

this presuppose democracy

to criminalise various sorts of malware practices

democratically, by legislation to criminalise various sorts of malware practices

collectively, by organising to develop free/libre replacement systems

many claim that no one could resist gratification for mere freedom and privacy

is fashionable to recognise the viciousness of today's computing only to declare resistance unthinkable

could offer most of these services with freedom and anonymity if they wanted to

are skilled at spinning the malfunctionalities as services to the consumer

has an Orwellian back door for erasing books

shackles the user against sharing or even freely giving away or lending the book

plus all notes and underlining the user enters

reports what page of what book is being read

save up where you have gone in order to report back when connected to update the maps

charge you extra to go without a separate tracker

used to call "car owners" from fixing "their" cars

barbie doll that transmit conversation remotely

can be tracked

as well as making users identify themselves so their viewing and listening habits can be tracked

since they are designed to shackle users against saving a copy of the data that they receive

tend to be the worst

even humble flashlight apps for phones were found to be reporting data to companies

plenty of malware there

for remote forcible installation or deinstallation of any app

in a nonfree component

sabotages Windows users by showing security holes to the NSA before fixing them

to remotely impose software changes

what kinds of programs constitute malware

explicitly sabotage their users

some even impose censorship

for doing remote mischief

are designed to snoop on the user

what sorts of wrong are found in malware

is computing for suckers

must consider any proprietary program suspect and dangerous

so many cases of proprietary malware have been reported

make it lawful

shamelessly mistreat users

how far things have sunk

denying users control over how they would be served

had some ethical standards

to escape and end that injustice

were forbidded to change or redistribute them

had become dominated by proprierary programs

designed to mistreat its users

each case was shocking and scandalous

ways to resist

have grown to routinely mistreat users by shackling behaviour and snooping

preinstall it all the time