When many users want to install software, they may go to some special software websites to download it.
The pc6 download station claims to be one of the top three software download platforms in China. In the pc6 download station, the reporter tried to download this software called "Foxit PDF", which has local downloads and high-speed downloads to choose from.
Click "High-speed Download", quickly download the installation package, click "Installation Package", show that the acceleration mode is being used to download, and then a striking prompt appears: Foxit PDF Editor. There is also a line of small letters written "Hot Recommendations" below, as well as several software icons, before you can see clearly, the page disappears, followed by a prompt box: whether to agree to the user agreement and privacy policy and complete the software installation, there is only one "yes" choice. After clicking, the Foxit PDF software we needed began to install, the computer became somewhat stuttered, and a pop-up advertisement for the game appeared in the lower right corner.
But to the reporter's surprise, the installation is not over, and there are three more software on the desktop: browser icons, ABC pictures, and printer masters. How did these software and pop-up ads get into our computers?
Then experience it on other software download platforms. In the Orange Terrier download station, try to download a decompression software called "fast pressure", directly click to download to complete, open the file, and also appear a striking prompt: fast pressure. There is also a line of small print and software icons below, and before we can see it clearly, the page quickly disappears, and an option pops up: Yes. This time we did not click "Yes", but directly closed the option, at this time the download interface jumped out again, with a line of inconspicuous gray small letters written "Popular Recommended", there are some also gray software icons, these are not the software we need, is it directly closed the downloader can not be bundled software?
The reporter then experienced downloading other software on platforms such as the Orange Terrier download station, Tengniu Network, and ZOL software download, and similar problems occurred. There are more unwanted software, some pop-up ads appear inexplicably, and even the computer becomes a little stuck. Who the hell is sneaking these things we don't want into our computers?
The reporter learned that when users download software on these platforms, there are generally two ways, direct download and download through the downloader.
Ma'anshan Baizhu Network Company claims that its downloader is a connector between the Internet and netizens, cooperating with more than 200 software download stations in China, reaching 20 million users every day. The download platforms such as pc6 software network, Tengniu network, orange terrier download station, ZOL download station and other download platforms experienced by the reporter before use the downloader developed by Baizu's subsidiaries. The company's senior sales manager is proud of the market share of his company's downloaders.
Reporter: In other words, many of the software I have downloaded on other websites before have come from our side?
Manager Zhou of Ma'anshan Baizhu Network Technology Co., Ltd.: Eighty or ninety percent of them are from our home, just baisu here, you just need to put things on the Internet, eighty or ninety percent are from our home.
Since so much software is downloaded through the downloader, why do users usually not notice the downloader when downloading?
The reporter noted that in the various download stations cooperated with Baizhu Company, there is a green, very conspicuous high-speed download choice, and there is a line of small print prompt below: speed up 50%, you need to download the high-speed downloader. But the sales manager of Baizhu Company told reporters that this so-called high-speed download is just a gimmick.
Reporter: High-speed download, must it be very fast?
Business Manager of Ma'anshan Baizhu Network Technology Co., Ltd.: In fact, it is the same, it is just a way of commercial labeling, ordinary download and high-speed download, there is no difference.
It turns out that the so-called high-speed download is to induce users to download software through the Baizu downloader.
Business Manager of Ma'anshan Baisu Network Technology Co., Ltd.: Because it is green, users will feel that green is fast, but in fact, there is no difference, high-speed download is an inducement.
Why does Baizu do everything possible to use high-speed downloads as bait to let users use its downloader? The director of The Sales Department of Baizhu told reporters that when users use the downloader to download the required software, Baizhu will also bundle other software at the same time.
Sales Director of Ma'anshan Baizhu Network Technology Co., Ltd.: We generally exchange A for A+B, and we will match some of the user's past data.
Where do users know that when they choose the so-called high-speed download, what awaits them is not high-speed, but a bundle trap.
Ma'anshan Baisuke Network Technology Co., Ltd. Hua Manager: Whoever gives me the most money, then it will definitely be put first. Our home downloader can bring six, six must be the client's, and then add a table marker, plus a navigation.
Employee of Ma'anshan Baizhu Network Technology Co., Ltd.: He only has one software as a cost, and he can use it to put down six software, then our cost will be reduced.
Ma'anshan Baisu Network Technology Co., Ltd. Manager Hua: Take six software down, then these six software will give me money?
Hua Manager of Ma'anshan Baizhu Network Technology Co., Ltd.: Yes, it is silent, because all the installations are directly into the computer, and you can play ads anytime and anywhere.
Inducing and bundling and installing other software is just one of the routines of the Baishu downloader, and they also have a deeper routine of changing tanuki for a prince. When a user uses the Baizu Downloader to download a desired software, sometimes the result is replaced with other software, which they call "package change".
Manager Zhou of Ma'anshan Baizhu Network Technology Co., Ltd.: This is called packet change, that is, when users are searching for something, for example, they want to watch videos, so as a download site we cooperate with, what will we push to users? Will definitely give users to push with our customers, if you cooperate with us, I pushed the software to you, is it you going to give me money?
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People's Republic of China issued the "Several Regulations on Regulating the Order of the Internet Information Service Market" issued in 2012, which clearly states that users may not be deceived, misled or forced to download, install, run, upgrade, or uninstall software, and in recent years, the relevant state departments have also been increasing efforts to continue to rectify the chaos in the industry. However, the reporter downloaded the software through the Baizhu downloader, but still encountered a series of bundled routines.
Reporter: Did the downloader do that on purpose? Directly check the user directly, including what is wrong with the point that appears later?
Manager Hua of Ma'anshan Baisuke Network Technology Co., Ltd.: Yes, otherwise how to make money.
Every time a user downloads a piece of software through the downloader, the software party will pay about 0.3 yuan to 1.8 yuan of fees for Baizu Company, and try its best to bundle the user's computer to allow users to download more unwanted software, which makes Baizu Company make a lot of money.
Manager Li of Ma'anshan Baizhu Network Technology Co., Ltd.: Our current data, unified together, is that the annual revenue exceeds 1.2 billion yuan.
Baizu Downloader wears the cloak of high-speed downloading, bundles software through the software download platform. So does the software download platform know about this, and how does it check it? The reporter came to the operator of the pc6 download station - Changsha Jufeng Network Co., Ltd. Speaking of induction, bundling and installation, the company's sales department Manager Yang has long been strange.
Manager Yang of Changsha Jufeng Network Technology Co., Ltd.: A form of promotion of the downloader, some bundled, some checked, some not checked, some directly downloaded silently. Now the DOWNLOAD SITEs on the PC side are like this, they are all bundled, because you don't rely on this, you can't make money.
Source CCTV Finance
Edited by Zhao Siyao
Process Editor Tai Shaofeng