Luckin called the Rhapsody issue an oversight. Until RealNetworks is up-front with users about what software they're actually downloading, StopBadware recommends that consumers avoid its media player. Users who clicked through the registration page without filling out any information would have the software installed.Īlthough the issue was fixed in version 11 of the player, RealPlayer 10.5 is automatically downloaded via the Firefox browser's 'Missing Plug-in' feature and is still widely used, Weinstein said. RealNetworks spokesman Ryan Luckin said a check-box on the registration page is used to notify users that Message Center would be installed. 'It's installing, essentially, a piece of adware without giving users information about that up front,' Weinstein said.

Users who download the software without filling out the RealNetworks product registration page end up with a piece of software called Message Center, which then proceeds to deliver ads to the user's computer. Real Player 10.5 suffers from a different issue, however. But because users are not told that they have installed the product it could become a liability, using up the computer's hard-drive space or processing power, or even creating a security risk for consumers if bugs are discovered in Rhapsody, said Maxim Weinstein, StopBadware's manager.īoth RealPlayer 11 and the older RealPlayer 10.5 software are both considered 'badware,' the report states. Rhapsody Player Engine is required to access RealNetwork's online music service.

Remove realplayer from firefox