Mike does this affect IATV's business model
U.S. Senate Gets Powerful Net
Privacy Bill
By Clare Saliba
www.NewsFactor.com, Part of the NewsFactor Network
January 30, 2001
Adding to the chorus of policymakers who have made Internet privacy a front-burner issue for the current U.S. Congress, Senator
John Edwards (D-North Carolina) reintroduced legislation Monday aimed at safeguarding online users from "spyware" software
that covertly tracks shopping and surfing habits.
Titled the Spyware Control and Privacy Protection Act, the bill seeks to "uncloak" software programs that utilize encrypted codes
to surreptitiously monitor Internet users and distribute the personal information to advertisers, telemarketers or other businesses.
"The same technology that puts information at our fingertips also makes our shopping and Web surfing habits, even our medical
and financial records, available to the highest bidder," said Edwards in a statement.
The bill was originally proposed in 1999, but Congress did not act on it before finishing business late last year. The bill is now
slated to be addressed by the Senate's Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, although a representative from Edwards'
office could not say when it would be taken up.
Private Information Covered
Under the spyware bill, software providers that use codes
to track the activities of Internet users would have to
notify consumers in "plain language" when they buy or
download such programs.
In addition, the bill stipulates that businesses that gather
data would have to inform individuals what information
has been assembled, provide a way to correct errors, and
safeguard the data against unauthorized access by
hackers. Some in the Internet industry have resisted
these types of measures, arguing that the burden of
providing this data to consumers is too overwhelming.
Some of the personal information the act would protect
includes: first and last names; home or other physical
addresses; e-mail addresses; telephone, social security
and credit card numbers; birth dates or place of birth;
and any other "unique identifying information."
"Spyware is just one of many startling examples of how
our privacy is being eroded," said Edwards. "This
legislation is a reasonable way to help Americans regain
some of their lost privacy."
Spate of Proposals
The Edwards bill is just the latest in a batch of Net
privacy bills that have been introduced since the
beginning of the year, proving that the issue -- which has
been a source of controversy within the tech world for
months -- is now politically potent.
For instance, a measure proposed in the U.S. House of
Representatives last week by Chris Cannon (R-Utah) and
Anna Eshoo (D-California) calls for Web sites to notify
visitors about how personal data such as telephone
numbers and ZIP codes are used, and would allow visitors
to limit such use.
A number of similar bills are also pending.
Although observers and legislators agree that Congress
will probably pass an Internet privacy bill this year, it
remains to be seen what kinds of boundaries will be
established. While consumer advocacy groups have
pushed for stronger federal protections, the industry as a
whole has urged lawmakers to set minimal self-policing
guidelines. |
