Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cybersecurity
    • Cybersecurity

    House Panel to Probe Spyware

    By
    Caron Carlson
    -
    April 26, 2004
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Like spam, spyware is unlikely to disappear as a result of laws or regulations, but it is inciting enough popular ire to spur politicians to act anyway.

      The latest perceived threat to Internet users privacy, spyware is following the same trajectory in Washington that spam followed before Congress last year passed a law aimed at reducing it. This week, a House panel responsible for commerce and consumer protection will examine deceptive software and possible ways to curb its use. Legislation targeting spyware has been introduced in the Senate and House, and Utah has already enacted an anti-spyware law.

      The Federal Trade Commission began discussing the issue in a policy forum with industry and government representatives last week and quickly learned that different interests define the problem differently. Spyware is used primarily as surveillance software—key loggers are often cited as the most insidious form—or advertising software used for gathering data for marketing purposes, but there is no consensus on what should be illegal.

      When users discover spyware on computers, they often complain to innocent parties such as ISPs. “Were the people being blamed sometimes,” Jules Polonetsky, vice president of Integrity Assurance at America Online Inc., based in Dulles, Va., said at the FTC forum. The next update to AOLs software will automatically scan for spyware and let users decide on keeping it, Polonetsky said.

      More than half of all Windows crashes reported to Microsoft Corp. are the result of deceptive software, according to Brian Arbogast, corporate vice president of the Identity, Mobile and Partner Services Group for MSN and the Personal Services Division at Microsoft. The next Windows service pack, due this summer, will include a pop-up blocker in Internet Explorer, an ActiveX blocker to suppress downloads that users do not initiate and improved notices for software updates.

      /zimages/3/28571.gifClick here to read Security Center Editor Larry Seltzers column “Whats Spyware? Lets Ask Congress!”

      Reminiscent of the policy debate over spam, a strong industry lobby is cautioning against anti-spyware legislation for fear that legitimate monitoring software will be targeted unintentionally. Rather than passing new laws, the government should help better educate users to protect themselves, many in industry argue.

      For privacy advocates, however, consumer education is unlikely to solve the problem. Future categories of software will present similar intrusion threats, said Chris Hoofnagle, associate director of the Washington-based Electronic Privacy Information Center, adding that digital rights management software can be particularly invasive.

      “I think there will be coercive power in this market, especially when it comes to media,” Hoofnagle said.

      /zimages/3/28571.gifCheck out eWEEK.coms Security Center at http://security.eweek.com for security news, views and analysis. Be sure to add our eWEEK.com security news feed to your RSS newsreader or My Yahoo page: /zimages/3/19420.gif http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/my/addtomyyahoo2.gif

      Caron Carlson

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×