Microsoft in Talks to Buy Adware Developer Claria

[Marcia]

Claria was formerly known as Gator, and it seems nobody is talking to tell what it's all about. Story in NY Times [nytimes.com]:

For the last two weeks, Microsoft has been in talks to buy a private Silicon Valley company, a move that underscores just how eager Microsoft is to catch up with Google, the search and advertising giant.

The company that Microsoft has pursued is controversial: Claria, an adware marketer formerly called Gator, and best known for its pop-up ads and software that tracks people visiting Web sites. The Gator adware has frequently been denounced by privacy advocates for its intrusiveness.

Not quite the greatest move for positive image management, is it?

[PaulPA]

As noted in a Wall Street Journal article this morning, buying Claria's technology may be a useful way to get around patents held by Google and, in particular Yahoo. Yahoo through its Overture purchase holds the patent for delivering ads based on keyword search. Google licensed this last year. Microsoft and its MSN search could possibly avoid patent infringement by delivering ads based on behavior rather than keywords.