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internetworkers - Re: Privacy Bill Sponsored by NC Democrat, Senator John Edwards

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  • From: Rafe Colburn <rafeco AT rc3.org>
  • To: InterNetWorkers <internetworkers AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Privacy Bill Sponsored by NC Democrat, Senator John Edwards
  • Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2001 11:33:57 -0500


On Tue, Jan 30, 2001 at 11:10:41AM -0500, Steven Champeon wrote:
> on Tue, Jan 30, 2001 at 10:13:55AM -0500, saundrakaerubel.com wrote:
> > Privacy Bill Would Require Permission to Use Cookies
> > Senator John Edwards re-introduced a bill that would require Web
> > sites to get permission from visitors before tracking their movements
> > online. The North Carolina Democrat's bill stakes out an aggressive
> > position in the debate over Internet privacy, requiring Web sites to
> > reveal their use of "cookies," technology that commonly runs in the
> > background without the knowledge of the visitor.
>
> "Spyware Control and Privacy Protection Act of 2000"
> http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d106:s.03180:
>
> Um, if you read the bill you'll see that it explicitly excludes the use
> of cookies:
>
> 2f:
>
> (3) COMPUTER SOFTWARE- (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the
> term `computer software' means any program designed to cause a
> computer to perform a desired function or functions.
>
> (B) The term does not include a text file, or cookie, placed on a
> person's computer system by an Internet service provider, interactive
> computer service, or commercial Internet website to return information
> to the Internet service provider, interactive computer service,
> commercial Internet website, or third party if the person subsequently
> uses the Internet service provider or interactive computer service, or
> accesses the commercial Internet website.
>
> Unless I have the wrong bill, which is possible. There is a "Consumer
> Privacy Protection Act", S.2606, but Edwards is only a co-sponsor on
> that bill, which was introduced in May of last year.

According to this release from the Senator, he's written a different
bill, specifically realting to spyware. The last paragraph of his release
follows:

"Senator Edwards also cosponsored the Consumer Privacy Protection Act,
designed to block Internet service providers, web sites and advertisers
from tracking our web surfing habits. He plans to back this legislation
when it is reintroduced by Senator Hollings."

What a joke. If it specifically excludes cookies from regulation, how
can it accomplish its stated goal? The press release is at:

http://www.senate.gov/~edwards/press/2001/jan29c-pr.html

Edwards bill is here:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c106:S.3180:

--Rafe

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