Reuters: House Passes Tough Computer Anti-Spyware Bill

The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the Energy & Commerce Committee's version of an anti-spyware bill. Known as the "Bono Bill," the measure has not yet been modified to incorporate the features of another House bill. That other bill provided protections to companies that used tracking technologies, like cookies, for innocuous purposes. It also invoked criminal penalties, including jail time. That bill will go to a House vote soon, and it seems that the House plan is to let both bills get combined in conference after the Senate passes a version of the second bill.