The group, which includes the Electronic Privacy Information
Centre (EPIC), Junkbusters, and the Centre for Media Education,
originally filed a formal complaint with the FTC over their
concerns on 26th July. The group state that the method of steering
users to sign up for the Passport authentication system contained
in Windows XP amounts to an unfair and deceptive trade
practice.
The information gathered by Passport will be stored on the
Microsoft database. The group argues that this puts potentially
sensitive commercial information into the hands of Microsoft, and
even though Microsoft claims it will not use the information nor
divulge it to third parties, security concerns remain.
The group now plans to update its original complaint, and has
called for the FTC to investigate the claims. The group has called
for an injunction to prevent Microsoft from launching Windows XP,
scheduled for October 25th, until an investigation can be
completed.
In its antitrust case, Microsoft has again requested a delay in
the sending of the case to a lower court to determine what
sanctions must be imposed on the company following the Appeal
Court’s ruling that it was in breach of US antitrust laws.
The filing follows a request earlier this week by the US Justice
Department for no further delay in the proceedings to be granted.
The Department of Justice argues that any delay would allow
Microsoft to press ahead with the launch of Windows XP before
sanctions preventing anti-competitive practices can be
enforced.
Microsoft has said that any delay in the trial would last no
more than six weeks. It argues that the delay would let the US
Supreme Court decide whether or not to accept Microsoft’s appeal
against the Appeal Court’s ruling. It argues that a six week delay
would not significantly affect the computer industry.
