Text 10850, 55 rader
Skriven 2006-04-25 15:18:22 av Rich Gauszka (1:379/45)
Ärende: Microsoft - writing the law to spy on you
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From: "Rich Gauszka" <gauszka@hotmail.com>

So what's worse the trojans or Microsoft and their cronies?

http://www.okgazette.com/news/templates/cover.asp?articleid=423&zoneid=7

It's supposed to protect you from predators spying on your computer habits, but
a bill Microsoft Corp. helped write for Oklahoma will open your personal
information to warrantless searches, according to a computer privacy expert and
a state representative.

Called the "Computer Spyware Protection Act," House Bill 2083 would create
fines of up to a million dollars for anyone using viruses or surreptitious
computer techniques to break on to someone's computer without that person's
knowledge and acceptance, according to the bill's state Senate author, Clark
Jolley.

"The bill has a clear prohibition on anything going in without your permission.
You have to grant permission," said Jolley, R-Edmond. "You can look at your
license agreement. It will say whether they have the ability to take that
information or not."

But therein lies the catch.

If you click that "accept" button on the routine user's agreement, the proposed
law would allow any company from whom you bought upgradable software the
freedom to come onto your computer for "detection or prevention of the
unauthorized use of or fraudulent or other illegal activities in connection
with a network, service, or computer software, including scanning for and
removing computer software prescribed under this act."

That means that Microsoft (or another company with such software) can erase
spyware or viruses. But if you have, say, a pirated copy of Excel - Microsoft
(or companies with similar software) can erase it, or anything else they want
to erase, and not be held liable for it. Additionally, that phrase "fraudulent
or other illegal activities" means they can:

-Let the local district attorney know that you wrote a hot check last month.

-Let the attorney general know that you play online poker.

-Let the tax commission know you bought cartons of cigarettes and didn't pay
the state tax on them.

-Read anything on your hard drive, such as your name, home address, personal
identification code, passwords, Social Security number . etc., etc., etc.

"I think in broad terms that is still a form of spying," said Marc Rotenberg,
attorney and executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center in
Washington, D.C. "Some people say, 'Well, it's justified.' I'm not so clear
that should be the case. Particularly if the reason you are passing legislation
is to cover that activity."

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