Third round for US anti-spyware bill
Anti-spyware legislation presented in US House of Representatives for third time.
Anti-spyware legislation was presented for the third time in the US House
of Representatives last month. The proposed 'Spy Act' ('Securely Protect
Yourself Against Cyber Trespass Act') would make it unlawful to install
software that gathers information, monitors usage, serves up ads or
modifies browser and other settings on the computer without the user's
consent. The legislation would afford the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
wider scope to pursue those responsible for spyware, broadening the
definition of spyware and allowing the FTC to impose fines of up to $3
million per violation of the act.
However, the Spy Act has twice before been passed by the US House (in 2004
and 2005), but on both occasions faltered once it reached the Senate thanks
to opposition from the advertising industry. With the increasing
proliferation of spyware, as well as extensive media coverage of legal
cases involving spyware (see VB, March 2007, p.12), it is hoped by many
that it will be third time lucky for the passing of the Spy Act.
01 April 2007
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