SCI/TECH: FTC Files First Spyware Lawsuit, page 1

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Topic started on 13-10-2004 @ 06:22 PM by Banshee

One of the banes of an internet-user"s online time - spyware - is now facing its first day in court. Smartbot.net and its owner, Sanford Wallace, have been served with a civil lawsuit seeking an injunction against the company and its practices for violation of a federal law prohibiting "unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce."

www.chron.com
The Federal Trade Commission formally announced Tuesday its first assault against spyware — bits of computer code that surreptitiously install themselves on the computers of Internet users to track their activities, push them to Web sites, barrage them with advertisements, and otherwise wreak havoc with their machines.

The commission filed a civil lawsuit in a federal court in New Hampshire last week against Sanford Wallace, the owner of Seismic Entertainment Productions and Smartbot.net, contending that Wallace and his companies had violated a federal law that prohibits "unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce."

"This may be our first case," said Lydia Parnes, the acting director of the commission"s Bureau of Consumer Protection. "But it won"t be our last."

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

Wallace had previous careers in fax-blasting and spam emailing before turning to the spyware business.

Two bills intended to cut back on spyware passed the House last week: the Internet Spyware Prevention Act and the Safeguard Against Privacy Invasions Act. Congress has not yet passed either Act.

reply posted on 13-10-2004 @ 06:38 PM by TheBandit795

ROOOOUUUNNNDDDDD ONE!!!! FIGHT!!!

I am so glad this is happening. I hate spyware, and it has screwed up my computer at times when I was not cautious.

reply posted on 13-10-2004 @ 07:05 PM by Mirthful Me

Originally posted by TheBandit795
I am so glad this is happening. I hate spy ware, and it has screwed up my computer at times when I was not cautious.

Spyware, adware, hijackers, dialers, they are the insidious underbelly of the internet, and difficult to control (the usual jurisdictional issues of the internet, it is the world wide web after all). I just went toe to toe with a pretty nasty hijacker, and the monkey wins by a TKO in round three.

A pretty good tool for battling adware etc. and it's Free!

Ad-Aware SE Personal edition:

www.lavasoftusa.com...

reply posted on 13-10-2004 @ 10:29 PM by JRex

I'm glad this is happening! It has been sickening to realize the liberties some of these characters have taken at the expense of generally hard-working and well meaning people. Sadly, many of them think it's funny and even profit from their rotten excesses. I hope FTC throws the book at them.

reply posted on 13-10-2004 @ 10:38 PM by UnknownOrigins

I am also extremely glad that finally they are starting to do this
I dont have as many problems with spyware as other members of my family (but thats another story

) but it is a nuisance nonetheless

reply posted on 13-10-2004 @ 10:50 PM by Blaine91555

Originally posted by Banshee

Two bills intended to cut back on spyware passed the House last week: the Internet Spyware Prevention Act and the Safeguard Against Privacy Invasions Act. Congress has not yet passed either Act.

Anyone here familiar enough with "The Patriot Act" to know if this would make parts of it illegal somehow? I've thought for some time now that this is the reason why nothings ever been done.