The House passed a cyber-security bill that would allow for civil penalties of up to $3,000,000. H.R. 964: Securely Protect Yourself Against Cyber Trespass Act or Spy Act.
The bill, introduced by Rep. Adolphus Towns (D-New York), to protect users of the Internet from unknowing transmission of their personally identifiable information through spyware programs, and for other purposes.
"Makes it unlawful for any person who is not the owner or authorized user (user) of a protected computer (a computer exclusively for the use of a financial institution or the U.S. Government, or a computer used in interstate or foreign commerce or communication) to engage in unfair or deceptive acts or practices in connection with specified conduct, including: (1) taking unsolicited control of the computer; (2) modifying computer settings; (3) collecting personally identifiable information; (4) inducing the owner or authorized user to disclose personally identifiable information; (5) inducing the unsolicited installation of computer software; and (6) removing or disabling a security, anti-spyware, or anti-virus technology"
"Makes it unlawful for a person to: (1) transmit to a protected computer any information collection program (a program that collects personally identifiable information and uses the information to send advertising), unless such program provides notice required by this Act before execution of any of the program's collection functions; or (2) execute any collection information program installed on a protected computer unless, before execution, the user has consented to such execution under notice requirements of this Act. Provides an exception with respect to Web pages visited within a particular website when the information collected is sent only to the provider of the website accessed."
"Jun 6, 2007: This bill passed in the House of Representatives by roll call vote. The vote was held under a suspension of the rules to cut debate short and pass the bill, needing a two-thirds majority. The totals were 368 Ayes, 48 Nays, 16 Present/Not Voting."
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-964
Other Bills with the Same Title:
108th Congress: H.R. 2929 http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h108-2929
109th Congress: H.R. 29 http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h109-29
Posted
Jun 07 2007, 11:15 AM
by
tashi