Editing AOL (section)

=== AOL's Computer Checkup "scareware" ===
On February 27, 2012, a [[Class action|class action lawsuit]] was filed against [[Support.com]], Inc. and partner [[AOL, Inc.]] The lawsuit alleged Support.com and AOL's Computer Checkup "[[scareware]]" (which uses software developed by Support.com) misrepresented that their software programs would identify and resolve a host of technical problems with computers, offered to perform a free "scan", which often found problems with users' computers. The companies then offered to sell software—for which AOL allegedly charged $4.99 a month and Support.com $29—to remedy those problems.<ref name="MediaPost">{{Cite news |last=Davis, Wendy |date=May 20, 2013 |title=AOL, Support.Com Settle Scareware Lawsuit for $8.5 Million |url=http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/200692/aol-supportcom-settle-scareware-lawsuit-for-85.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141009201252/http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/200692/aol-supportcom-settle-scareware-lawsuit-for-85.html |archive-date=October 9, 2014 |access-date=October 7, 2014 |work=MediaPost}}</ref> Both AOL, Inc. and Support.com, Inc. settled on May 30, 2013, for $8.5&nbsp;million. This included $25.00 to each valid class member and $100,000 each to [[Consumer Watchdog]] and the [[Electronic Frontier Foundation]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Final Judgment Order for Lagarde v. Support.com Inc. |url=https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/california/candce/3:2012cv00609/251021/61 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727043555/https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/california/candce/3:2012cv00609/251021/61/ |archive-date=July 27, 2020 |access-date=March 12, 2020 |website=Justia Dockets & Filings}}</ref> Judge [[Jacqueline Scott Corley]] wrote: "Distributing a portion of the [funds] to Consumer Watchdog will meet the interests of the silent class members because the organization will use the funds to help protect consumers across the nation from being subject to the types of fraudulent and misleading conduct that is alleged here," and "EFF's mission includes a strong consumer protection component, especially in regards to online protection."<ref name=MediaPost/>

AOL continues to market Computer Checkup.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014 |title=AOL Computer Checkup: Clean & Speed Up Your Slow PC – Try It Free |url=http://computercheckup.aol.com/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141009221022/http://computercheckup.aol.com/ |archive-date=October 9, 2014 |access-date=October 7, 2014 |publisher=AOL Inc.}}</ref>