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House Passes Another Spyware Bill

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the federal-pound-me-in-the dept.

SkippyTPE writes "The AP reports that the US House of Representatives has unanimously passed a law criminalizing Spyware. This is the second such bill in two days (the first imposing civil penalties, whereas this bill imposes criminal penalties). Information on the bills (HR2929 and HR4661) can be found here and here respectively."

4 of 285 comments (clear)

  1. RTFS... by plover · · Score: 5, Informative
    The AP reports that the US House of Representatives has unanimously passed a law

    No, the AP correctly reported that the house passed a BILL. A BILL is not a LAW until it passes through the entire congress and the president signs it. (Remember the Schoolhouse Rock song, "I'm just a Bill"?)

    --
    John
  2. Re:sorta OT by NeoSkandranon · · Score: 3, Informative

    I use Spybot and Spysweeper, as Ad Aware typically only finds trackng cookies and such like as opposed to spyware (in my experience anyway)

    I also make sure to use Spybot's TeaTimer and ActiveX blocker.

    Installing Firefox is a good way to keep it clean ;-) If it's an option at all on the computers you work on, go for it. It also tends to render a LOT of browser hijackers totally irrelevant.

    As for cleaning the hijackers themselves, I'd reccomend googling for the process name if you know it, odds are you'll stumble on an info site with detailed removal instructions

    --
    If you can't see the value in jet powered ants you should turn in your nerd card. - Dunbal (464142)
  3. Re:Maybe another Law isn't necessary by drinkypoo · · Score: 4, Informative

    I hope you were kidding. If not, let me tell you why your idea won't work.

    1. MAC addresses do not propagate beyond a local network segment. They are used only for Ethernet. Outside of a specific physical (or certain types of logical) ethernet network, you'll never see someone's MAC.
    2. MAC addresses can be changed. Almost all hardware allows this, including antiquated Sun equipment from the days when MACs were supposedly etched in stone. Well, they're actually etched into a PROM which can be rewritten.

    If you were kidding, I apologize. If you weren't kidding, now you know.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  4. Re:Loophole City by choprboy · · Score: 3, Informative

    It was noted somewhere--NPR, I think--that the typical EULA is measurably longer than the Constitution of the United States...

    It was on NPR, yesterday I believe (but I can't find the link at the moment). The company in question was Gator (AKA Claria), which has a EULA longer than the constitution.

    However, it should be noted (as stated in the interview) that nthis law is completely useless anyways do to the "EULA permission" exception. Two of the biggest proponents of the legislation are WhenU and 1800Solutions... two of the worst spyware/adware companies out there.