It's basically adware
I read up on this here:
http://blog.intego.com/2010/06/01/p...lications-that-install-osxopinionspy-spyware/
and here
http://www.premieropinion.com/About.aspx
Looks like this is a version of adware, which was once pervasive in Windows shareware (not sure if it still is - I don't download Windows software). It's a "sort-of" spyware, but that's unknown since we're unsure exactly what data they collect. But they're clear they do collect detailed web browsing habits - their privacy page makes that obvious. They claim the info isn't shared, and is only used in aggregate. Who knows.
Basically the PremierOpinion people pay shareware authors to include their software in their downloads. So the authors get their money from them instead of from you. In exchange, the PremierOpinion software sends some personal info to them, which they collect and then do something with. What they collect and what they do with that info isn't clear from their web site.
There are only two companies' products listed in the Intego blog post - one that makes a bunch of screensavers, and one that makes an audio converter. That's it. The developers of these apps are responsible for creating the relationship between them and PremierOpinion, and thus putting this in the hands of the users.
I haven't installed the software (nor will I) but it does NOT appear to be a virus or trojan of any type. It's a twist on adware. (Adware also collected your private info in addition to filling your screen with crappy ads.) There's a business behind it, of at least some level of legitimacy. In other words - someone who is responsible for this. They shouldn't exist, but they do.
In my opinion the software vendors are the ones to blame here, for agreeing to pollute their software with this crap. They should be embarrassed. Hopefully these two unknown companies are the only ones doing this, and it ends here.
Intego should also be held accountable for labeling this as something it isn't, and using it to their own marketing advantage.