B. Spyware Privacy Bills in Works

The bill recently introduced in the Senate aims to protect individuals from unknowingly downloading spyware and requires that consumers be given a "clear and conspicuous notice" prior to downloading any software. The bill would also require that third parties disclose their identity to the consumer along with their street address and a valid return e-mail address as well as specifically revealing their intent to collect and use the consumer's information.

"Spyware is a technological disease that is proliferating each day. It threatens the efficiency of our computers and Internet services as well as the security of our personal information and private transactions," the author of the bill said. "Software should never, I repeat never be used to spy on computer users."

Even when consumers delete the unwanted downloaded file, spyware often remains and continues to monitor the user's browsing habits. According to a report released last year by the Center for Democracy and Technology, spyware creates privacy problems, opens security holes and can hurt the performance and stability of consumer computer systems.

The state of Utah has already passed an anti-spyware law while other states are considering legislation that bars the practice. A similar groundswell of consumer complaints and state action prompted Congress to pass the country's first federal anti-spam law last year.

"Why not work with this committee to come up legislation to make it perfectly clear that [spyware] is illegal," Rep. Barton asked the FTC officials during Thursday's hearing.

"Then, if somebody wants that crap on their computer, they can opt to let it be," he continued. "I really don't understand why we are having a semantical debate about something everybody I talk to is totally outraged about. I'm moderate on this issue, by the way."

2. Act out an interview with a senator speaking about spyware laws. Use the material of the text.

VI. 1. Define the word “libel”. What is the correlation between the terms “libel”, “defamation” and “slander”? Have you ever heard of any libel cases?

2. Read the text writing down the key-words for each paragraph.

Internet Libel Law Shake-up Urged.

An urgent shake-up of British libel law is needed to protect free speech on the internet, according to a new report.Businesses are increasingly using legal threats against Internet Service Providers (ISP) to close down websites set up by angry customers or protest groups, the Law Commission found. The situation is in danger of stifling free speech as many of the sites may contain allegations which are true, it said.

The internet is subject to the same libel laws as broadcast and printed media. But there is no legal immunity for authors of defamatory statements on bulletin boards and chat rooms. And complications can arise when material published in one country is read in another, with tougher libel laws. The Commission stressed that although it was legitimate for the law to protect the reputation of others, it was important to investigate other means of achieving this.

Solutions.

One solution, it said, is to follow the US example and exempt ISPs from legal liability for material published.

Another suggestion is to allow the defence of "innocent dissemination", where service providers claim they are unaware of the libelous nature of the material on their servers, to be extended.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14