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FTC files lawsuit against spyware manufacturer
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 1:41 pm
by stormie_skies
'Bout damn time, too!
The Federal Trade Commission formally announced yesterday 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 lawsuit in a federal court in New Hampshire last week against Sanford Wallace, the owner of Seismic Entertainment Productions and Smartbot.net, contending that Mr. Wallace and his companies had violated federal law, which 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, at a news conference in Washington yesterday. "But it won't be our last."
The suit, which seeks an injunction against Mr. Wallace's companies, claims they exploited vulnerabilities in Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web browser - the most widely used browser - to seize varying amounts of control over users' computers. It also charges that the spyware deployed by the two companies changed users' home pages, installed advertising and software programs on the users' computers, and caused a deluge of pop-up windows to appear on computer screens - without the users' consent. In some instances, the complaint says the codes caused computers to "malfunction, slow down, crash or cease working properly."
"I understand what the F.T.C. is trying to do," Mr. Wallace said in a telephone interview, "but we believe that what we're doing is legal."
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/13/technology/13spy.html
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 1:45 pm
by chadtm80
Yep I saw that on the news last night.. And I agree.. About DERN time.. They need to get MUCH MUCH tougher on this crap.
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 2:06 pm
by GalvestonDuck
Now here's something we'll probably all agree on.
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 2:30 pm
by Stephanie
Thanks for passing that along! I didn't see that on the news, but like Chad said - "it's about DERN time".
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 2:32 pm
by Lindaloo
Awesome!! This is a step in the right direction.
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 8:48 pm
by AussieMark
Take the company to the cleaners so send out a strong message that this stuff won't be tolerated no longer.
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 8:50 pm
by Deenac813
I am so happy about this. I fight this all the time!
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 5:39 am
by coriolis
As Tony the Tiger woud say - GRRRRREEEEEAAAAT
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 11:32 am
by Stormsfury
Wallace "believes what he is doing is legal?"??? .... What kind of cockamimi BS is that? ...
Time to grab the hammer and put the serious smackdown on his a$$...
SF
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 11:36 am
by stormie_skies
Im with you there, SF!
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 1:03 pm
by Sanibel
Totally agree SF. A legal weasel who doesn't mind crashing my computer and making my life miserable "because it is legal."
The government should also be sued for taking so long...
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 2:31 pm
by tronbunny
I'm not into much government regulation, but...
we pay for access, we shouldn't have to be subjected to that crap.
SOMEONE ought to sue them as they are not just pursuing their own business but they are being overly intrusive in the process. Right to privacy and all.
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 6:33 pm
by Stormsfury
Sanibel wrote:Totally agree SF. A legal weasel who doesn't mind crashing my computer and making my life miserable "because it is legal."
The government should also be sued for taking so long...
They (the government) were more worried about what and what I can't listen to on the radio (FCC) ... can't really sue the government, but it's not a bad idea ...
tronbunny wrote:I'm not into much government regulation, but...
we pay for access, we shouldn't have to be subjected to that crap.
SOMEONE ought to sue them as they are not just pursuing their own business but they are being overly intrusive in the process. Right to privacy and all.
agreed, tronbunny ... I'm a poster child for less government regulation, but this is one big exception to that rule ... spyware and adware is a DIRECT violation of my privacy which allows this internet peeping tom to track sites that we all access and targets ads and crap like that ... first of all, I deal with enough friggin' advertisements on TV, and radio ... and even at the movie theater ... I DON'T want them on my PC ... I DON'T like someone knowing all the sites that I frequent, not like it's really a big issue b/c they are mostly related to weather and music, anyway ...
I also hate to say this, but IMHO, I wouldn't mind seeing public stonings or something along the lines for spyware/adware creators, internet hackers who create viruses that screw our PC's up, etc ...
SF
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 9:32 pm
by tronbunny
I can get loudly opinionated when it comes to privacy and intrusion into my computer, also.
I only do weather and research and business, but I also pay bills and buy stuff.
hackers and virus writers and spyware and spammers...all creeps to the max and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and if there isn't strong punishment make the durn law!