House Passes Weak Spyware Bill

A bill supported by the software industry will go to the Senate for consideration. The Internet Spyware Protection Act provides for five-year jail terms for using spyware fraudulently.

What it doesn’t do is provide for penalties for failing to clearly notify consumers of what they are downloading, or failing to obtain consumer consent. A Reuters report noted how the I-SPY bill lacks those stronger provisions, which were present in a competing piece of legislation.

"It targets the worst forms of spyware without unduly burdening technological innovation," said Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California, chief sponsor of the bill which passed on a voice vote.

It was a bill the tech industry wanted, and it isn’t surprising to see Lofgren’s name on it. Her profile at OpenSecrets showed the Computer/Internet industry has donated nearly $360,000 to her campaigns, tops among her industry donors.

DM News also noted that the National Retailer Federation and the Direct Marketing Association supported Lofgren’s bill.