Microsoft wants the Senate to rewrite anti-spyware legislation in order to protect companies that provide spyware removal utilities.
The software maker warned Tuesday that two bills approved by the House of Representatives this week fail to prevent "frivolous lawsuits" filed by adware and spyware companies that are upset when their code is removed.
Members of the House approve two bills with different approaches.
"These bills leave companies that are responding to consumer demand for strong anti-spyware tools vulnerable to frivolous lawsuits brought by the very companies responsible for the proliferation of spyware and other deceptive software," Jack Krumholtz, the head of Microsoft's lobbying office, said in a statement. Microsoft began offering a spyware removal utility this year.
Microsoft's fears are hardly theoretical. Gator, now known as Claria, sued anti-spyware company PC Pitstop on grounds that included trade libel, false advertising and tortious interference. Claria distributes pop-up ad software, often bundled with free applications, that some surveys say is installed without a person's direct knowledge and consent.
New.net sued Lavasoft--maker of Ad-Aware--in federal court. And spyware researcher Ben Edelman has indicated that he has received threats from Claria and WhenU.
The Senate is considering what to do with the spyware legislation but is not close to finalizing anything. Microsoft's Krumholtz said: "We are hopeful that the Senate will include in its bill a provision to prevent those who traffic in spyware from suing companies like Microsoft to keep them from providing these valuable consumer protections."
It can be easy for software to be labeled as spyware either through misconception or vague and conflicting definitions of spyware. Once labeled, word spreads as the various spyware removers copy each others lists, often without checking the facts. Once this happens you have a reputation that is nearly impossible to expunge. Most of these sites and products are not responsive to requests to fix erroneous categorization.
Spyware, adware, and malware are a serious problem but so is a false accusation without possibility of redress.
It can be easy for software to be labeled as spyware either through misconception or vague and conflicting definitions of spyware. Once labeled, word spreads as the various spyware removers copy each others lists, often without checking the facts. Once this happens you have a reputation that is nearly impossible to expunge. Most of these sites and products are not responsive to requests to fix erroneous categorization.
Spyware, adware, and malware are a serious problem but so is a false accusation without possibility of redress.
The company says that manufacturing facilities in Shenzhen and Chengdu, China, will be inspected by a group "dedicated to ending sweatshop conditions in factories worldwide."
The Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 S6500 could make its debut at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona later this month, according to a leaked promotional image.
The space agency powers down its last System Z machine, years after IBM stopped selling them for the mathematical calculation jobs for which NASA originally bought them.
A group calling itself Evil Shadow Team reportedly hacked into Microsoft's online store in India, stealing usernames and passwords of the site's customers.
See EPSON® Corporate Projectors
Spyware, adware, and malware are a serious problem but so is a false accusation without possibility of redress.
Spyware, adware, and malware are a serious problem but so is a false accusation without possibility of redress.