The Undertaking Spam, Spyware, And Fraud Enforcement With
Enforcers Beyond Borders Act of 2005, also known as the SAFE WEB
Act, was approved by the Senate Commerce Committee on Thursday. It
will now move forward for debate by the full Senate.
Sponsored by Republican Senator Gordon Smith, the Act will
authorise annual funds for the FTC to initiate cooperative
cross-border law enforcement projects.
It will allow the FTC to better track fraudulent financial
proceeds, share confidential information in consumer protection
cases with foreign law enforcers, and to work with the US
Department of Justice to freeze foreign assets and enforce US court
judgments abroad.
The Act also sets out provisions enabling the FTC to obtain
court orders to prevent or delay third parties such as ISPs, who
are contacted for information, from tipping-off the person under
investigation.
According to CNET News.com, the measure is similar to one put
forward by the FTC two years ago, which raised the ire of civil
liberties groups concerned that the vague wording of the
legislation would result in privacy infringements.
