Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Iowa Senate Proposes Making Spyware A Crime

Posted by timothy on from the an-official-crime-that-is dept.

Cooked Chicken writes "Iowa State Senator Keith Kreiman (D) is proposing Senate File 2200, an act making the distribution of Spyware without notice an aggravated misdemeanor, punishable by confinement for no more than two years and a fine of at least $500 but not more than $5,000. The proposed bill also provides victims and county attorneys with the ability to file a civil cause of action for relief from conduct constituting the crime of unauthorized collection and disclosure of personal information by computer."

4 of 26 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I'm all for it. by sdibb · · Score: 3, Informative

    Agreed, but don't those asinine EULAs apparently cover everything? I mean, even one of Microsoft's says that you give them permission to remotely login and change anything anytime for any reason (if I remember correctly).

  2. Think about it.... by Sayten241 · · Score: 3, Informative

    The problem is that in the EULA of the program it usually says something about you permiting the company to run the spyware. We don't need laws about this, just more competent computer users.

  3. Re:I'm all for it. by Ethidium · · Score: 4, Informative

    Section 3a allows software programs to determine whether the user is licensed or authorized to use them (i.e. collecting information is not the main purpose of the program)

    Section 3b allows software for technical support purposes on the user's request.

    How does this "allow most spyware as legal?" The infamous gator, for example, is neither.

    --
    \
  4. Re:I am skeptical by Ethidium · · Score: 3, Informative

    RTFA.

    Birthdate and zipcode are both explicitly considered as identifying information under this bill.

    --
    \