FTC wants to jail spyware distributors

Federal Trade Commissioner William Kovacic told a Senate Commerce Committee hearing that most spyware distributors were “vicious organised criminals."

According to News.com, Kovacic said that the only thing that would deter them is withdrawing their freedom.

FTC Commissioner Jon Leibowitz also repeated his agency's call for Congress to elevate what it perceives as limited fining powers.

While most users would welcome such a move, the FTC seems to be putting itself against the IT industry which currently favours the use of “legitimate spyware”.

If the law went ahead, then Sony executives, who hatched up last year's DRM fiasco and Sir William Gates III, who allowed spyware to be installed in Vista would all be doing jail time. µ

L'INQ
news.com