FRAN MAIER, TRUSTE, TESTIFIES ON THE SPY ACT, BILL H.R. 964, AND INDUSTRY SELF-REGULATION

Fran Maier serves as expert witness at Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection meeting on bill to protect Internet users from spyware

Fran Maier, executive director of TRUSTe, offered expert commentary on bill H.R. 964, “The Spy Act,” before the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection, Committee on Energy and Commerce, U.S. House of Representatives. TRUSTe, the nation’s leading independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing Internet privacy and trust, adamantly supports a federal law to provide baseline protections for consumers from spyware.

Maier discussed private sector initiatives to encourage and maintain best practices for downloadable software that, in conjunction with a federal law, will provide Internet users relief from problems associated with spyware and unwanted consumer advertising and tracking software. Maier recommended that H.R. 964 include a safe harbor for industry self-regulatory compliance programs such as the Trusted Download Program. The Trusted Download Program, sponsored by TRUSTe and partners AOL, CNET Networks, Computer Associates, Microsoft, Verizon and Yahoo! with input from the Center for Democracy and Technology, certifies consumer downloadable software and serves as the model for industry best practices.

Available Resources

• Interviews with Fran Maier, executive director, TRUSTe
• www.truste.org
• http://energycommerce.house.gov/membios/schedule.shtml
• View a copy of the bill at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:h964ih.txt.pdf

About TRUSTe

TRUSTe helps consumers and businesses identify trustworthy online organizations through its Web Privacy Seal, Email Privacy Seal and Trusted Download Programs.  An independent, nonprofit organization celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2007, TRUSTe certifies more than 2,000 Web sites, including the major internet portals and leading brands such as AOL, Microsoft, IBM, Oracle, Intuit and eBay. TRUSTe resolves thousands of individual privacy disputes every year. To learn more about internet privacy visit .

###

 

AppLabs Technologies