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Spyware Company Sues Utah Over Anti-Spyware Law
cgibby98 writes "An earlier Slashdot article talks about how web businesses oppose Utah's new spyware law. A story in Tuesday's Deseret Morning News says that WhenU.com filed suit Monday against the state, its governor, and attorney general, trying to keep the law from going into effect next month. The lawsuit claims the law violates WhenU's constitutionally-protected right to advertise."
In other news: Microsoft sues the United States over antitrust laws....crap now I'm giving them ideas.
Pretty widgets? What pretty widgets?
Congress shall enact no law which prevents a company, firm, organization or political party from annoying the living hell out of you with advertising. Firms may use technologies existing or not yet existing to "blast" consumers with advertisements or steal personal information.
Funny how I missed that earlier!
God Bless America. Why? Did it sneeze?
The right to annoy doesn't superceed the right to advertise.
Ever.
Because, WhenU install our spyware, U Be Screwed! ...and we need to protect that.
Are you trying to say that I can't sell advertisers space on your living room wall, just because I don't own it?
Seems to me that's what these adware programs do - they sell advertising space that they have no right to by generating popups unrelated to the users browsing.
A fine is a tax you pay for doing wrong and a tax is a fine you pay for doing all right.
constitutionally-protected right to advertise
What about our constitutionally-protected right regarding invasion of our privacy?
It's absurd that these companies can legally install applications on everyones machines and data-mine information without ever getting the users permission. Utah has always been kind of the bastard step-child of the US - nothing good ever comes out of it (Mormans, SCO, etc), but I back them 100% on this one!
I'm already calling for an eugenics program.
"If some brick-and-mortar company spray painted their ads on the side of my house"
I think you're onto something there... *cough*
Ahem, can someone give me a list of spyware companies' addresses? I need some physical space to place a little advertising...
Looks like you have a solution right there...
For each 15 pop-up ads that we get on our PCs, we will be entitled to one MP3 of our choice, payed for by the advertising/adware/spyware/spamming companies.
Ok, I gotta go buy myself a larger HD.
... don't go all strict constructionist on me now!
The Right to Advertise is right in there, next to the Right to Private Abortions and the Right to Join The National Guard In Order To Bear Arms.
;)
I promote, as an appropriate punishment for spyware, the shoe-crapping. Specifically, persons found in violation are required temporarily to cede their shoes to the state, during which time the attorney general is required to take a crap inside of said shoes. Following this, the shoes are returned to the offender.
Spyware = Virus/Trojan, the only difference is that spyware usually mentions itself on page 33 in 6pt font in the EULA for the software that it comes with and it has an uninstall program which usually forces you to visit their site first so they can threaten you and tell you how your computer will break down if you continue to uninstall their software. Then once you download the uninstaller (for fucks sake why doesnt the uninstaller thats registered under windows actually uninstall the software instead of taking you to a website??) you can uninstall the program,but still not be sure in the back of your mind if it actually uninstalled.
What i want to do is write my own 50 page EULA and get some politician and the head of a spy-ware company to agree without reading it, then they will feel the wrath as i suddenly own them and their kids - hey if they want to dispute it fine, but that means their EULA is null and void too and i can sue them back!
This comment does not represent the views or opinions of the user.
The three homonyms you may find useful to remember...
** cite
** sight
and
** site
see http://www.cooper.com/alan/homonym_list.html#cite
Microsoft has competitors? Where?
There was a company called Apple. Ever hear of them? They went out of business in the early 1980s when the "Apple III" was a sales failure. I've heard of something called Linux, but as far as I know, no-one uses it outside of Finland. "Sun" is rumored to be developing something called OpenOffice, but this is not expected to be released until 2011.
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
if they maintain the "constitutionally-protected right" to advertise, then i maintain the right to bear arms against fools like this...
Unfortunately, those other means are illegal. Pity, it'd be nice to inteject into their spleen a billboard...
If I keep getting ads, I'm switching to Fido.
That won't work either. Someone will just intercept your dog mid-route and slip a flyer under his collar.
And ironic sig considering a programer is spouting off his views of government.
Don't worry, the actors aren't paying any attention to me.
Don't blame me, I didn't vote for either of them!
These guys have just as much right to forcefully install advertising software on my computer as I have to break into your house and paint "visit slashdot.org" on your wall.
Too late, I painted it there myself. It's a reminder for when I first boot up in the morning and might be too sleepy to remember where to go.
Freedom: "I won't!"