Apparently it was definitely
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RealPlayer#Reception
Reception
Past versions of RealPlayer have been criticized for containing adware and spyware[57] such as Comet Cursor.[58] In 1999 security researcher Richard M. Smith dissected some of RealJukebox's network traffic and discovered that it was sending a unique identifier with information about the music titles to which its users were listening.[59][60] RealNetworks issued a patch, and the spyware was removed[61] in version 1.02.
Their download page stated RealJukebox included privacy enhancements and supplied the link to their updated privacy policy.[62]
PC World magazine named RealPlayer (1999 Version) as number 2 in its 2006 list "The 25 Worst Tech Products of All Time", writing that RealPlayer "had a disturbing way of making itself a little too much at home on your PC installing itself as the default media player, taking liberties with your Windows Registry, popping up annoying 'messages' that were really just advertisements, and so on."[61]
In 2007, it placed RealPlayer, versions 1996–2004, at number 5 in its list The 20 Most Annoying Tech Products.[63]
US-CERT has issued multiple security advisories reporting defects which allowed remote sites to use RealPlayer to execute attack code.[64][65]