Everywhere you look, it seems like a new computer privacy story is being uncovered. Thousands of credit card data leaked one day, an entire company’s servers wiped out the next. But what can the average consumer do to protect themselves from such leaks?
Well, fortunately, the White House has stepped up to protect PC users. Using a new consumer online privacy bill of rights, the U.S. Department of Commerce seeks to provide additional protection for consumers through legislation.
The bill would consist of four parts. First, an online consumer privacy bill of rights. Second, a commission to decide how these rights would apply in a business environment. Third, enforcement protocol from the FTC. And fourth, better integration between the privacy legislation in America and those of countries overseas.
As of yet, the bill is in its infancy stages. Skeptics say that it will be heavily watered down before it can even come close to passing. After all, businesses in America use customer data to generate billions of dollars of revenue every year, and those businesses have a huge say in what American politicians support and do not support.
Why is this bill important?
The most important part of this bill is that it will limit the power of spyware, malware, and viruses, all of which can steal your information and use it for profit. As of now, the legalities surrounding spyware are hazy, and few of the people who design such programs are ever brought to justice.
The consumer privacy bill will also affect companies like Facebook and Google, each of which collects an astounding level of data about its users.
Ultimately, it’s difficult to tell if this online privacy bill will have any effect on the PC security industry. However, one thing is certain: new viruses are being created every day, and it has never been more important to protect your PC from the latest malware threats.