MS Settles With FTC Over Passport Privacy Complaints

There will be a number of stories out shortly (here's an early one) noting that Microsoft has settled with the FTC over privacy complaints relating to Microsoft Passport. Short summary: Microsoft made lots of false representations about the security of Passport, and collected more information than it disclosed in its privacy policy, and now must be penalized in the usual Microsoft fashion - they must promise not to do it again. The FTC's settlement page has the complaint and settlement documents. We've covered this extensively - All Your Bits Are Belong to Us, EPIC's complaints about the integration of Windows XP and Passport, Microsoft Defends Passport, EPIC pushing state attorneys general to act against Passport, etc. In fact EPIC has an entire page devoted to Passport. The FTC settlement requires two main things: that Microsoft adopt basic security practices (what were they doing before?), and that Microsoft be audited by a third-party to assure compliance - perhaps it will be TrustE, since Passport's privacy policy remains approved by TrustE.

Comments

Promises, promises, promises

[yeoua]

"and now must be penalized in the usual Microsoft fashion - they must promise not to do it again."

I hope Bill Gates wasn't crossing his finger behind his back...

Better make sure and force him into a pinky swear and swear his soul to the dark lord.... er, too late, nevermind.

Re:Promises, promises, promises

[Maran]

"swear his soul to the dark lord"

Can he swear his soul to himself?

Maran

Dark Lord?

[ImaLamer]

One password to rule them all,
in the darkness,
one password to bind them.

To the race of men Borgates gave them
passwords which would give them power
over e-mail log-ins and on-line shopping
sites.

But there was one password crafted by the
dark lord Borgates which controlled them ....

Re:Ha

[r00tarded]

or if its developed in .asp