Go Broadjump offa cliff
This whole ordeal is very annoying. We've all played detective trying to figure out the purpose of this software. One way or another, most of us have even covered the same tracks and found the same clues. Previously, I tried figuring out what this process was, and eventually found out it was a utility installed along with broadband ISP software. We've all read that there are/were supposed "malicious" forms of this software, there is a "good" form used by ISP's, and that it's either easily or painstakingly removed.
I gave up and later forgot about the mystery process, seeing that it was on my parents' computer. Seeing it again tonight, I couldn't remember what it was from, though I remembered it was installed along with something else. Finding this thread and refreshing my memory, I reopen the case. This time, I decide to go straight to the source, AT&T Yahoo, our ISP. Seeing that the topic was very popular, I figured they might address it on their website. I searched the license agreement for "broad", "jump", and finally "software". I know for a fact the name "Broadjump" isn't mentioned once in the Terms of Service or the License Agreement, however, I did eventually find something under "software".
Quote:Software, Equipment Data and Settings.
AT&T Yahoo! is not responsible in any way for any computer programs or devices intended for use in connection with the Software, the Service or the Internet even if such programs or devices are advertised or made available through the Service.
Equipment Data and Settings: Regardless of whether the equipment used to access your Service (modem, gateway, etc.) is owned by you or AT&T, AT&T reserves the right to manage such equipment for the duration of your Service, and retains exclusive rights to data generated by the equipment. Neither you nor a third party may change, interfere with, or block access to equipment data or settings.
It sounds like to me, that our broadband ISPs are installing Broadjump on our computers so that they can gather target audience information to use in their marketing department. That definitely sounds like spyware to me.
If I'm right, then Broadjump isn't beneficial to the end user, it just uses up system resources, however small they may be, and delivers private information about the websites we access and companies we buy products from online. Unfortunately, by agreeing to the terms prompted during installation of the ISP software, we've given them the right to invade our privacy, however it appears that if they decide to share our "data" with their partners or 3rd party businesses, they might be slapped with a lawsuit.
