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Companies and others that secretly install spyware programs on people's computers to surreptitiously monitor their Internet activities would face large federal fines under a new bill which has passed the House.
The most egregious behaviors ascribed to the category of such software - secretly recording a person's computer keystrokes or mouse clicks - are already illegal under U.S. wiretapping and consumer protection laws.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Mary Bono, R-CA, requires that consumers explicitly choose to install such software and agree to the information being collected.
