Zedo
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Internet marketing |
| Founded | September 1999 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California |
Key people | Roy de Souza, Co-Founder/CEO, Joseph Jacob, CTO and Jerome Hromiak, Director of Sales |
| Products | Zedo Ad Server (Publishers, Marketers, Networks), Network Optimization (Publishers), Behavioral Targeting (Networks) |
Number of employees | 200 |
| Website | www.zedo.com |
ZEDO is a privately-held company founded in 1999 by Roy de Souza, which provides internet ad serving to web publishers and direct marketers.[1] ZEDO uses an HTTP cookie to track users' browsing history resulting in targeted pop-up ads. The cookie is often flagged by spyware and adware removal programs.[2]
History
ZEDO began in 1999. Their servers send pop-up ads to users' browsers.[3] In 2001, it expanded by offering the ad serving technology to large websites. ZEDO has also experimented with creating its own social networking sites. In 2006, it launched ZEBO.com a social networking site where users get shopping advice from friends who own products.[4]
According to a 2006 press release, ZEDO was the third largest ad server.[5] Clients have included Quepasa, Walt Disney India, CNET,[6] and PartyPoker.
ZEDO employs 120 people and is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in London, India, and Russia.
Criticism
ZEDO is often linked[7] to the controversy over spyware because ZEDO uses HTTP cookies to track users' browsing and advertisement viewing history,[8][9] as well as the methods which it gathers information, such as deceptive ads and clickjacking. The company disputes being categorized as spyware.[10] Though ZEDO does offer an opt-out page,[11] it will only affect cookies; ZEDO continues to track users via IP addresses.[citation needed] Programs such as Spybot - Search & Destroy quarantine ZEDO software as adware so that users can remove it from their computer.[2]
References
- ^ "Internet advertising: Top of the pops". The Independent. 2002-10-07. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
- ^ a b Kaye, Kate (September 13, 2006). "Anti-Spyware Programs Snare Ad Cookies, Google Cookies Evade All". ClickZ.com. Retrieved December 10, 2009.
- ^ Heim, Sarah J. (2001-07-21). "ZEDO Ad Serving Technology puts consumers in control". AllBusiness.com. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
- ^ Tedeschi, Bob (April 30, 2007). "Got Roomfuls of Stuff? Now Sites Will Help Keep Track of It". New York Times.
- ^ Smith, Nicole Flynn (April 2006). "ZEDO now industry's third largest ad server with Falk transition" (Press release). ZEDO. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
- ^ "ZEDO Ad Serving : Press". www.zedo.com. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
- ^ "Spyware Detail : ZEDO". Computer Associates. 2004-08-16. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
- ^ Dixon, Pam (2004-09-01). "Opt-Out Cookie Links". World Privacy Forum. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
- ^ "Anti-Spyware". ZEDO. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
- ^ "Opt Out". ZEDO. Retrieved 2008-07-08.