Goverments have stepped in to join the fight against spyware and malware, the names we attribute to those annoying little programs that “somehow” get installed on your computer without your knowledge.
The US Congress has proposed the SPY Act, which would oblige companies and individuals to conspicuously warn consumers before giving them a program capable of automatically transmitting information gathered from a user’s computer. Though the bill carries no criminal penalties, and doesn’t allows users to sue spyware merchants, anyone in the US caught uploading such a program without obtaining the consumer’s consent could face civil prosecution by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
A last-minute addition to the SPY Act also prohibit keystroke logging and the display of advertisements that cannot be closed, according to Rep. Mary Bono, the bill’s sponsor. “We are one step closer to restoring safety, confidence and control to consumers when using their own computers,” Bono said in a statement. The bill now goes to the full Commerce committee for a vote. A companion bill in under consideration in the Senate.
Australia is also considering the “Spyware Control Bill”.
While neither bill goes even as far as banning spyware or attaching criminal or civil penalties, they are a step in the right direction.
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