SPY Act Passes House Committee
The House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the SPY Act, sending it to the House floor. The article illustrates continuing definitional problems with the bill.
iDownload’s Latest Letters
iDownload backs off of its legal threats to bloggers who characterized its software as spyware. If they were going to backpedal like this, why bare their fangs in the first place?
Google AutoLink and Copyright Law–A Fuller Explanation
There’s been a lot of discussion about Google’s AutoLink tool, including some questions about why I think it might violate copyright law. I can understand why this is confusing, particularly because the AutoLink tool raises two discrete questions. First, what…
Does Google Cloak?
Threadwatch has a story alleging that Google uses cloaking. If true, this would be ironic because Google bans cloaking. However, I’d like to hear Google’s side to this story before assuming it’s true. Also, I think it’s easy to overreact…
Student Convicted for File Downloading
Parvin Dhaliwal convicted of a state crime for downloading movies. I believe the article is correct that this is the first state prosecution, although I was able to find a couple of federal prosecutions for merely downloading items from the…
FTC Enforcement Action for Deficient Security Practices
The FTC has settled a charge against Nationwide Mortgage Group, Inc., a mortgage company, for failing to comply with the security requirements under the Gramm Leach Bliley Act. FTC enforcement actions for poor security practices are relatively rare, so this…
FTC Report on Spyware
The FTC has released a report entitled “Monitoring Software on Your PC: Spyware, Adware, and Other Software” as a follow up to its April 2004 workshop. I need to read through it, but it looks like a typical FTC response:…
Edelman on P2P Disclosures
Ben Edelman released a report entitled “Comparison of Unwanted Software Installed by P2P Programs.” The report evidences Ben’s typical skill and thoroughness, and it’s a worthy read. However, the report struggles with the appropriate standards for measuring a workable disclosure…
Rivlin on eBay Fee Increases
Gary Rivlin writes a good in-depth article on the seller community’s response to eBay’s fee increases. The article articulates eBay’s rationales—eBay wanted to restore some balance in the use of certain tools, so price increases were the ways to drive…
Another Dumb Utah Law
The Utah Legislature is at it again. (See my critique of their efforts to regulate spyware/provide some extra bucks for a few local companies at the expense of free competition). The Utah legislature has passed another sloppy and ill-conceived law…