Image Appendix - How Expedia Funds Spyware
Ben Edelman

All screenshots were captured in September 2005.

[ eXact Advertising | Direct Revenue | 180solutions ]

180solutions Showing Expedia Popups

An Expedia popup shown by 180solutions when I browsed to aa.com. Notice "metdr" in the URL bar, indicating Expedia's specific knowledge that the ad is coming from 180solutions (namely its MetricsDirect advertising sales unit).

Direct Revenue Showing Expedia Popunders

An Expedia popunder shown by Direct Revenue when I browsed to jetblue.com. Shown after activation of the popunder.

Although the ad's URL is not visible on screen, analysis with a network monitor ("packet sniffer") indicates that the ad's URL includes the string "olacid=cntx.sohod" -- indicating Expedia's specific knowledge that users are coming from SOHO Digital, recently acquired by Direct Revenue.

eXact Advertising Showing Expedia Popunders

An Expedia popunder shown by eXact Advertising when I browsed to jetblue.com. Shown after activation of the popunder.

Notice that the popunder covers the entire screen -- indeed, with its "X" off-screen, making the window hard for novice users to close.

Notice also "exact advertising" mentioned in the URL bar, indicating Expedia's specific knowledge that users are coming from eXact.