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FTC Wants Greater Spyware Crackdowns
David Utter
Staff Writer
2007-04-12
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The Federal Trade Commission told Congress that fighting data security violators, telephone pretexters, and spyware distributors would be easier with legislation to back up the FTC's work.
 | | FTC Wants Greater Spyware Crackdowns |  |
If we are to make a dent in criminal activity like spyware, providing the FTC with legislation that would let them seek civil penalty actions, including jail time, will help. During the FTC's appearance before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the Commission called for broader abilities to aid their anti-fraud activities.
Technology fraud ranked among the issues the FTC presented to the Senate during their budget request testimony for fiscal 2008. Spyware that misleads consumers and burdens computer systems with unremovable and unwanted software received repeated mentions in that testimony.
"Civil penalties are important in these areas where our traditional equitable remedies, including consumer restitution and disgorgement, may be impracticable or not optimally effective in deterring unlawful acts," the FTC said in calling for stronger legislation that would include incarceration for these offenders.
Enforcement efforts will cross borders in 2008. That is thanks to the passage of the US Safe Web Act in 2006, which takes effect next year. The FTC said it will allow them to cooperate more fully with foreign law enforcement agencies in spyware and security breach investigations.
"The FTC has pursued a vigorous and effective law enforcement program in a dynamic marketplace that is increasingly global and characterized by changing technologies," the testimony stated.
Commissioners cited eleven spyware enforcement actions it has filed in the past two years, with the Direct Revenue case the most recently settled one. The agency accused Direct Revenue of slipping adware into their downloadable products and making it virtually impossible to uninstall. That settlement netted $1.5 million from Direct Revenue.
Spammers also received some FTC attention, as the Commission brought eight law enforcement actions against spammers. The FTC noted the continued rise in spam, and said their recent experience sees spam used increasingly as a vehicle for threats like phishing attempts, viruses, and spyware.
"The FTC is the only federal agency with both consumer protection and competition jurisdiction in broad sectors of the economy," they said in testimony as they made the argument for stronger legislative support from Congress.
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Tags: FTC, Spyware
About the Author:
David Utter is a business and technology writer for SecurityProNews and WebProNews.
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