'Spyware' would be tricky to outlaw

zerodamage · Nov 22, 2003, 01:30 AM

"Lawmakers have yet to get a handle on the best way to combat computer "spyware" that tracks Internet users' online activity, a nonprofit policy group said Rather than drafting narrowly targeted legislation to outlaw specific snooping tactics, Congress should establish broad online privacy rights to protect against secret online surveillance, the Center for Democracy and Technology said. Concern about spyware has grown over the past several years as online advertisers and song-swapping networks like Kazaa have placed programs on users' computers to monitor their activity or use their computers' processors for other activities. Spyware can crash computers or slow their performance, and it is often difficult to ferret out. Furthermore, many users are frequently unaware that they are being monitored for commercial purposes. Though some spyware may violate communications and computer-trespass laws, most programs are protected by agreements buried in long, detailed disclosures that users click on when they download other programs, CDT said in a report Tuesday."

Source: CNN

Nov 22, 2003, 01:30 AM	#1
zerodamage HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Virginia, USA Posts: 3,478 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	'Spyware' would be tricky to outlaw "Lawmakers have yet to get a handle on the best way to combat computer "spyware" that tracks Internet users' online activity, a nonprofit policy group said Rather than drafting narrowly targeted legislation to outlaw specific snooping tactics, Congress should establish broad online privacy rights to protect against secret online surveillance, the Center for Democracy and Technology said. Concern about spyware has grown over the past several years as online advertisers and song-swapping networks like Kazaa have placed programs on users' computers to monitor their activity or use their computers' processors for other activities. Spyware can crash computers or slow their performance, and it is often difficult to ferret out. Furthermore, many users are frequently unaware that they are being monitored for commercial purposes. Though some spyware may violate communications and computer-trespass laws, most programs are protected by agreements buried in long, detailed disclosures that users click on when they download other programs, CDT said in a report Tuesday." Source: CNN