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<title>Proprietary Fraud - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title>
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<h2>Proprietary Fraud</h2>
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<p>Nonfree (proprietary) software is very often malware (designed to
mistreat the user). Nonfree software is controlled by its developers,
which puts them in a position of power over the users; <a
href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">that is the
basic injustice</a>. The developers and manufacturers often exercise
that power to the detriment of the users they ought to serve.</p>
<p>This typically takes the form of malicious functionalities.</p>
<hr class="full-width" />
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<p>Here are some examples of proprietary software that defrauds
users—taking their money by trickery.</p>
<div class="important">
<p>If you know of an example that ought to be in this page but isn't
here, please write
to <a href="mailto:webmasters@gnu.org"><webmasters@gnu.org></a>
to inform us. Please include the URL of a trustworthy reference or two
to serve as specific substantiation.</p>
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<li id="M202110160">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2021-10</small>'
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<p>Canon's all-in-one printer, scanner, and fax machine <a
href="https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/legal/canon-sued-for-disabling-scanner-when-printers-run-out-of-ink/">will
stop you from using any of its features if it's out of ink</a>! Since
there's no need for ink to use scan or fax, Canon is sued by its
customers for this malicious behavior. The proprietary software
installed on Canon machines arbitrarily restricts users
<!-- Copied from using
their device as they wish.</p>
</li> workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-fraud.html. -->
<li id="M202106220">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2021-06</small>'
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<p>Peloton company which produces treadmills recently <a
href="https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/technology/peloton-tread-owners-now-forced-into-monthly-subscription-after-recall/">locked
people out of basic features of people's treadmills by a software
update</a>. The company now asks people for a membership/subscription
for what people already paid for.</p>
<p>The software used in the treadmill is proprietary and probably
includes back doors to force software updates. It teaches the lesson
that if a product talks to external networks, you must expect it to
take in new malware.</p>
<p>Please note that the company behind this product said they
are working to reverse the changes so people will no longer need
subscription to use the locked feature.</p>
<p>Apparently public anger made the company back down. If we want that
to be our safety, we need to build up the anger against malicious
features (and the proprietary software that is their entry path)
to the point that even the most powerful companies don't dare.</p>
</li>
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<li id="M201908160">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-08</small>'
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<p>A game published on Facebook <a
href="https://www.revealnews.org/article/so-your-child-racked-up-unwanted-credit-card-charges-playing-video-games-now-what/">aimed
href="https://revealnews.org/article/so-your-child-racked-up-unwanted-credit-card-charges-playing-video-games-now-what/">aimed
at leading children to spend</a> large amounts of their parents'
money without explaining it to them.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-fraud.html. -->
<li id="M201401190">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2014-01</small>'
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<p>Some proprietary <a
href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jan/19/apple-talking-cats-in-app-purchases">
href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jan/19/apple-talking-cats-in-app-purchases">
games lure children to spend their parents' money</a>.</p>
</li>
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