Looks like the US government is going to take a hard look at the spyware issue again. While I am not really pointing fingers here, I have a hard time believe that anything they do will be of much help.

Did someone’s PC up on Capitol Hill get infested with spyware? The reason I ask is because the US Senate is once again set to tackle legislation on spyware. Calling them “insidious programs” that are the equivalent of an invisible man walking around your house, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) said it was time for federal legislation to tackle the problem.

Right now, spyware regulation — such as it is — falls under the auspices of the Federal Trade Commission. In addition, a handful of states have passed anti-spyware legislation. Last fall, Congress failed to pass similar legislation that would have required software manufacturers to notify users that their programs engaged in data collection. If the current bill is passed, it would trump state regulation and set a uniform national standard for what constitutes spyware. [Read the rest]