Jim, re:"CDT to file Intel complaint over ID chip"
zdnet.com
exerpts:
"The Center for Democracy and Technology, a privacy and consumer rights group, said it will file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission on Friday, citing Intel Corp. for unfair trade practices in bringing its processor ID to market."
. . .
Selling PCs while assuring users the ID feature is turned off could be risky for original equipment manufacturers in light of a German computer magazine's recent claim that the feature is vulnerable to hackers, the letter states.
"We believe that such a claim made under current circumstances could constitute a material misrepresentation of the sort prohibited by federal consumer protection laws and regulations," according to the letter, which was sent to the chief executive officers of Dell, Gateway, Compaq, Hewlett-Packard and IBM.
"Intel has put the onus on the manufacturers, and that's not a good spot for them to be in," Sobel said. "If Dell sells me a PC and says this feature can't be turned on, and then it is turned on" resulting in a crime such as credit card number or Social Security number theft, "then I'm going to turn around and sue Dell," he said.
Jeff |
