Bono Re-Introduces Spyware Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- On the first day of the 109th Congress, Congresswoman Mary Bono (CA-45) re-introduced her bill to protect computer users against internet privacy invasion.  H.R. 29, the Securely Protect Yourself Against Cyber Trespass Act (SPY ACT) passed overwhelmingly in the U.S. House of Representatives in October 2004, but was not passed by the U.S. Senate in time to become law before the end of the 108th Congress.  The SPY ACT is co-sponsored by Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX), Congressmen Edolphus Towns (D-NY), as well as many others.  

 

“The SPY ACT was introduced because we feel that consumers have the right to know and be protected when they are downloading software that has the ability to collect and transmit personal information," said Congresswoman Bono.  "From its original introduction, the SPY ACT has evolved through a tremendously collaborative bipartisan effort to what we feel is strong and sound legislation.  We have received a tremendous amount of support for the SPY ACT and are confident that this year we will see a spyware bill in the law books," added Bono. 

 

Spyware software, which can be loaded onto users' PCs by a third party without their knowledge, can in its extreme versions enable third parties to track and gather data regarding the user's movements and keystrokes whenever online.  This information can include credit card numbers, passwords and other personal information, which can then be sold for illegal purposes.  Spyware can be found on any number of very popular web-sites, and users can even be infected and tracked by just visiting a site on which one of the advertisers uses spyware, according to Bono.

 

Congresswoman Bono originally introduced the SPY Act in July of 2003.  The bill protects individuals from unknowingly downloading spyware by requiring that consumers receive a clear and conspicuous notice prior to downloading spyware.  The bill additionally includes provisions to prohibit unfair or deceptive behavior such as key-stroke logging, computer high jacking, phishing and the display of advertisements that cannot be closed.