TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — The Latest on a tech firm agreeing to pay $3.5 million to settle complaints about software it preloaded on laptops (all times local):
6:25 p.m.
A technology company that has agreed to pay $3.5 million and change how it sells laptop computers as part of a settlement reached with federal officials and authorities in New Jersey and 31 other states says it “disagrees with the allegations” contained in complaints about its preloaded software.
Morrisville, North Carolina-based Lenovo said Tuesday it’s unaware of any instances of a third party exploiting vulnerabilities in the VisualDiscovery software to gain access to a user’s communications.
The VisualDiscovery software was installed on hundreds of thousands of laptops to deliver pop-up ads to consumers.
The Federal Trade Commission says Lenovo “compromised consumers’ privacy.”
The company notes it stopped preloading VisualDiscovery and worked with antivirus software providers to disable and remove it from consumers’ computers after learning of the issues. It says it’s pleased to “bring this matter to a close.”
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11:50 a.m.
A technology company will pay $3.5 million and change how it sells laptop computers as part of a settlement reached with federal officials and 32 states, including New Jersey.
The agreement with Lenovo announced Tuesday settles allegations that the North Carolina-based firm sold devices with preloaded software that made users’ sensitive personal information vulnerable to hackers.
The VisualDiscovery software was installed on hundreds of thousands of laptops to deliver pop-up ads to consumers.
Lenovo stopped shipping laptops with VisualDiscovery preinstalled in February 2015, but some states contend that some laptops with the software were still being sold by various retail outlets as late as June 2015.
Under the settlement, Lenovo will now obtain consumers’ consent to use the software and provide a reasonable way for consumers to opt out, disable or remove it.
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