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BonziBuddy: Difference between revisions
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BonziBuddy, also | BonziBuddy, also capitalized as BonziBUDDY, was a desktop application that utilized [[Microsoft Agent]] technology. It was created by Joe and Jay Bonzi in 1999, released on bonzi.com and was available there until the site went defunct in 2008, which caused mirrors to start hosting the download. It would make jokes, tell facts, sing songs, talk, alongside other functions present in the application. BonziBuddy was discontinued in 2004 after the company that had created it had faced lawsuits regarding deceptive advertisements and a violation of COPPA. The first release of BonziBuddy was released in 1999 and used the Peedy character from Microsoft, but the creators swapped to their purple gorilla character called Bonzi in May 2000. | ||
==Media coverage== | ==Media coverage== | ||
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==Malicious activity== | ==Malicious activity== | ||
BonziBuddy has been identified as spyware and adware by multiple sources | BonziBuddy has been identified as spyware and adware by multiple sources, although the company disputed those claims. Some examples of their malicious activity include using banner advertisements to imitate Windows message boxes and claiming their IP address is being broadcasted, constantly setting the browser homepage to bonzi.com without permission from the user, and tracking the personal information of users. | ||
== Discontinuation == | == Discontinuation == | ||