Summary
The House Commerce Committee is putting anti-spyware legislation on a fast track. The powerful committee hopes to vote out a bill in two to three weeks. The legislation hopes to prevent spyware users from taking over a homepage or tracking a computer user’s keystrokes. The measure would also require spyware programs to be easily removable.
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http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,66407,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_2
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The powerful House Commerce Committee on Wednesday made anti-spyware legislation a top priority, with members hoping to vote it out of committee in the next two to three weeks.
"This is on the fast track, and we hope to be marking this bill up in the very near future," said committee chairman Joe Barton (R-Texas).
The committee devoted its first hearing of the new session to exploring anti-spyware bill HR29, or the Spy Act.
The bill is expected to garner wide support in the House because it's basically a reintroduction of the former HR2929, which passed the House by a 399-1 vote in the last session.
As with HR2929, HR29 is sponsored by Rep. Mary Bono (R-California).
The bill exponentially increases fines against abusers as well, authorizing the Federal Trade Commission to fine violators up to $3 million per infraction.
HR29's significantly lower bill number this session "shows you how the priority has shifted" among lawmakers increasingly alarmed and irritated by the prevalence of spyware throughout cyberspace, Barton said.
Several at Wednesday's hearings recounted spyware horror stories involving family members, with Barton commenting that he was forced to buy a new computer for his daughter after spyware clogged its operating system beyond repair.
"We don't want to necessarily stop those third-party cookies from working," said Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Florida), chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Ari Schwartz, associate director of the Center for Democracy and Technology, said the FTC needs more resources to nab violators.
"Raising the penalties gives them more power, but it won't be effective if they can't use it," he said.
Several lawmakers, meanwhile, said any
spyware bill should also include criminal penalties.
About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health author and award-winning journalist with a passion for sharing empowering information to help improve personal and planetary health He is a prolific writer and has published thousands of articles, interviews, reports and consumer guides, and he has created several downloadable courses on survival and preparedness, including his widely-downloaded course on personal safety and self-defense. Adams is a trusted, independent journalist who receives no money or promotional fees whatsoever to write about other companies' products. In mid 2010, Adams produced TV.NaturalNews.com, a natural health video sharing website offering user-generated videos on nutrition, green living, fitness and more. He also launched an online retailer of environmentally-friendly products (BetterLifeGoods.com) and uses a portion of its profits to help fund non-profit endeavors. He's also the CEO of a highly successful email newsletter software company that develops software used to send permission email campaigns to subscribers. Adams also serves as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a non-profit consumer protection group, and practices nature photography, Capoeira, martial arts and organic gardening. He's also author a large number of health books offered by Truth Publishing and is the creator of numerous reference website including NaturalPedia.com and the free downloadable Honest Food Guide. His websites also include the free reference sites HerbReference.com and HealingFoodReference.com. Adams believes in free speech, free access to nutritional supplements and the innate healing ability of the human body.
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Thursday, February 03, 2005
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