Software Industry Opposes Bill Restricting 'Spyware'
The software industry is opposing a bill intended to crack down on computer "spyware" capable of secretly tracking a user's Web-surfing habits.
"It is essential that we recognize that the problem comes from bad people, not bad products," said Robert Holleyman , chief executive of the Business Software Alliance, during a Senate hearing on the bill Tuesday. The trade association represents companies such as Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL) and Intel Corp. (INTC).
"The same underlying technology that can enable spyware also may power many legitimate applications that benefit millions of computer users every day," said Holleyman.
Introduced by Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., the bill would make it illegal to distribute software that installs itself to a computer during the course of Web-surfing without the user's knowledge and then redirects Internet traffic, captures personal information or tracks Web site visits.
The software facilitates so-called "contextual marketing" that provides pop-up ads based on Web sites visited.
"I remain to be convinced that hijacking the unique brands of trusted companies to redirect consumers to other e-commerce sites is an acceptable business practice," Burns said.
Burns' bill requires notice and consent before a software program downloads itself onto a computer. It also must include reasonable uninstall procedures.
But Holleyman told Burns that the bill shouldn't restrain technology. Instead, it should prohibit interstate commerce in information obtained electronically from an individual's computer without permission.
Jerry Berman, president of a consumer group called the Center for Democracy and Technology, said the bill "is a major step forward." But he added that it needs to be carefully drafted to avoid restricting legitimate software, and that "several concerns still exist."
美国软件业反对旨在限制间谍软件的议案
美国软件行业反对一项旨在限制可秘密跟踪用户网页浏览习惯的电脑间谍软件(Spyware)的议案。
美国商业软件联盟(Business Software Alliance)首席执行长Robert Holleyman周二在该议案的参议院听证会上称，问题源于恶意的黑客，而非产品本身，意识到这一点非常重要。这个行业协会代表著微软(Microsoft Corp., MSFT)、苹果电脑(Apple Computer Inc., AAPL)、英特尔(Intel Corp., INTC)等公司。
Holleyman称，间谍软件所基于的技术也能用于许多合法的应用程序，使数百万电脑用户时刻受益。
这项由共和党参议员Conrad Burns提出的议案建议限制间谍软件的传播。间谍软件能在用户浏览网页时未经用户许可便自动安装，将用户转向其他电子商务网站，并获取个人信息或跟踪用户访问站点。
间谍软件为所谓的"内容营销"(contextual marketing)提供了方便；内容营销提供基于被访网站信息，提供弹出式广告服务。
根据Burns的议案，软件下载和安装前必须通知电脑用户，并获得用户许可。此外，这些软件必须带有合理的卸载程序。
