Internet Spyware Prevention Act
Encyclopedia
The Internet Spyware Prevention Act, also known as I-SPY, is an act by the United States Congress
to impose penalties and punishments on creators of computer
spyware
. The act was first introduced in the House of Representatives
in 2004 and passed in 2005. The bill was reintroduced in March 2007 to further prosecute makers of spyware.
, Zoe Lofgren
, and Lamar S. Smith
introduced the Internet Spyware Prevention Act as an amendment to Title 18 of the United States Code
.
claim that the provisions of the act would prohibit all but one form of data collection on computers, cookies
. They say that advanced programs (involving Javascript
) in the future that utilize data collection would be criminalized under this act.
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
to impose penalties and punishments on creators of computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
spyware
Spyware
Spyware is a type of malware that can be installed on computers, and which collects small pieces of information about users without their knowledge. The presence of spyware is typically hidden from the user, and can be difficult to detect. Typically, spyware is secretly installed on the user's...
. The act was first introduced in the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 2004 and passed in 2005. The bill was reintroduced in March 2007 to further prosecute makers of spyware.
History
On June 23, 2004, Representatives Bob GoodlatteBob Goodlatte
Robert William "Bob" Goodlatte is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is based in Roanoke and also includes Lynchburg, Harrisonburg and Staunton.-Early life, education and career:...
, Zoe Lofgren
Zoe Lofgren
Zoe Lofgren is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1995. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is based in San Jose.-Early life, education, and early career:...
, and Lamar S. Smith
Lamar S. Smith
Lamar Seeligson Smith is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1987. The district includes most of the wealthier sections of San Antonio and Austin, as well as nearly all of the Texas Hill Country...
introduced the Internet Spyware Prevention Act as an amendment to Title 18 of the United States Code
United States Code
The Code of Laws of the United States of America is a compilation and codification of the general and permanent federal laws of the United States...
.
Criticisms
Members of the Interactive Advertising BureauInteractive Advertising Bureau
The Interactive Advertising Bureau is an advertising business organization that develops industry standards, conducts research, and provides legal support for the online advertising industry. The organization represents a large number of the most prominent media outlets in the United...
claim that the provisions of the act would prohibit all but one form of data collection on computers, cookies
HTTP cookie
A cookie, also known as an HTTP cookie, web cookie, or browser cookie, is used for an origin website to send state information to a user's browser and for the browser to return the state information to the origin site...
. They say that advanced programs (involving Javascript
JavaScript
JavaScript is a prototype-based scripting language that is dynamic, weakly typed and has first-class functions. It is a multi-paradigm language, supporting object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming styles....
) in the future that utilize data collection would be criminalized under this act.