SPY BLOCK Act
Latest action. By Senator McCain from Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation filed written report. Report No. 108-424.
Software Principles Yielding Better Levels of Consumer Knowledge Act or SPY BLOCK Act - (Sec. 2) Makes it unlawful for a person who is not an authorized user of a protected computer (any computer used in interstate or foreign commerce or communication) (unauthorized person) to cause the installation on that computer of software designed to: (1) conceal from the authorized user (user) the fact that such software is being installed; or (2) prevent the user from granting or withholding consent to the installation. Provides exceptions. Makes it unlawful to provide to an authorized user materially false or misleading inducements to install such software. Prohibits the installation of software designed to prevent reasonable efforts to uninstall or disable such software after it has been installed, with an exception with respect to software designed for one authorized user, such as a parent or system administrator.
(Sec. 3) Makes it unlawful for an unauthorized person to install on a protected computer software that collects information about the user's Internet browsing or other computer use and then transmits such information to another person if: (1) the information collected is not related to or in support of a normal software capability or function; and (2) there has been no reasonable notification to the authorized user of the such installation.
(Sec. 4) Makes it unlawful for an unauthorized person to install on a protected computer software that causes advertisements to be displayed to the user: (1) at a time when the user is not accessing a website or online service operated by the publisher of that software; and (2) in a manner in which the user would not understand that the software is responsible for delivering the advertisements.
(Sec. 5) Makes it unlawful for an unauthorized person to: (1) utilize the computer to send unsolicited information to other computers; (2) divert a user's Internet browser away from its intended site to one or more other websites; (3) display an advertisement or other content in such a manner that the user cannot end such display without turning off the computer or terminating all Internet sessions; or (4) covertly modify settings relating to the use of the computer or the computer's access to the Internet.
The summary continues for 4 more paragraphs. Read it in full on Congress.gov
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Reported to Senate with amendment(s)" stage on November 19, 2004. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on December 7, 2004: By Senator McCain from Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation filed written report. Report No. 108-424.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 108th Congress (2003-04), 498 of the 8,623 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 5.8 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
CONRAD BURNS (R-MT) introduced it on February 27, 2004, and 3 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They are 3 Democrats.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on February 27, 2004, 8231 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 7947 days ago, on December 7, 2004.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 108th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2005 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- SenateIn committee, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers