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Bill to Strengthen FTCs Powers to Fight Spy Ware
U.S. Senator George Allen has introduced a new bill targeting individuals who secretly install spy ware on computers. The main focus of the bill is to provide for significantly higher civil and criminal penalties for those trafficking spy ware. In addition, the bill would allow the government to seize profits made on illegal spy ware activity. The focus of the bill on stiffer penalties is somewhat different from previous bills which have attempted to deal with the spy ware problem by requiring programs to be easily identifiable and removable. The Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") has made it clear that it believes the existing deceptive practices laws are already sufficient to deal with spy ware. Real solutions may lie not in legislation but in better technological solutions and consumer education.
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