Harvard PhD candidate and anti-spyware crusader Ben Edelman was recently interviewed by Jeff Molander on the subject of affiliate marketing and spyware/adware. He discusses the "big issues," says Molander, as we head into 2006: Are affiliate networks' quality-assurance teams effective (assuming they have them)? What should networks be doing to protect advertisers? Will we see marketers'/advertisers' being indemnified by affiliate networks as new networks spring up and clients revolt? What should advertisers be demanding - contractually - of affiliates and networks themselves? What can advertisers do now to protect themselves?

The first two parts of the interview are available via ReveNews, with the entire podcast series available at ThoughtShapers for download.