The vast majority of files available through the PictureView service are free of viruses and spyware; however, since PictureView is an automated service, it is possible for a dangerous file to appear in a group. To avoid dangerous files there are a few simple, common sense steps you can take.
If you restrict your viewing to images and videos that have a clear and discernable thumbnail, you should never have a problem.
Beware of files that do not actually end with a valid extension: one_hot_butt.avi is safe, while one_hot_butt.avi.scr is not.
If you attempt to play a movie file and are prompted to install additional software in order to play the file, we recommend that you cancel the installation, close your multimedia player, and delete the movie file (see Rights Required to Play Video).
NOTE: Some video files do require the correct codec in order to play properly. To install a codec we recommend that you download it from the source (e.g., get the DivX codec from http://www.divx.com/)
We recommend that you never download a file that does not possess a valid image extension (e.g., .JPEG, .JPG) or movie extension. Files ending with .SCR and .ZIP should be avoided (.ZIP files that are created by the PictureView service after you click one of the Get buttons are OK). Executable files (i.e., files ending in .EXE) should never be accessed.
If you are in the habit of downloading large batches of files as a single zip file, be sure to delete all non-image and non-movie files that are included in any batch.
Lastly, since you are online, we strongly recommend that you install current anti-virus, firewall, and adware software and be sure to take advantage of any available updates.
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