As far back as I can remember, there has always been confusion about this. Free download shouldn't be confused with Freeware download. When I want to find something that is truly free for individual use, I spend quite a bit of time reading search results so that I can avoid the numerous problem downloads. Sometimes it may help to find the author's site, and avoid the CNET crap.
+1
Free, versus freeware is a big part of this... Rarely do the download sites 'freely' offer this info. In fact, what used to be freeware, is now simply "free", and you can't tell the difference until after the program is installed.
On the CNet installer...
Depending on which page comes up... whether the review page, or the download page, there may be as many as 8 clickable links that say "download".
The latest free download that is becoming very common, is Free Trial... but on the download website page, that is not commonly noted. Free trial, for 30 days.
So here's what brought the subject up... I just bought a refurbished windows 7 desktop for $99, and decided to populate it with my favorite "free" programs. Other than Irfanview, most of the programs now are "trial"...
A few years ago, instead of deleting the install programs, I kept a copy on a thumb drive. Fortunately, every one of these "free files" still installs, although sometimes a reminder comes up to update them... That invariably installs the trialware part of theprogram.
If I do download a new file, I try to run Malwarebytes... when this goes into the heuristics mode, the PUP files show up, so I can reasonable narrow down the suspects... I think I picked up the dreaded "conduit" malware from Softonic, though I'm not sure.
Except for one time, back in 1987, when I spent $15 for a program, there has never been a "pay for" program on any of my computers, or tablets... though I'm considering the $4.99 Plex app...
My kids would never believe I'd pay for software. They call me Silas.