A list of 13 business and technology associations in Canada are using the opportunity to comment on the proposed anti-spam regulations to fight for the right to put spyware on your computer and mobile devices, according to one Internet law expert.
Canada’s anti-spam law is currently undergoing a process to draft its regulations. Industry Canada has invited comments on the proposed regulations and the deadline for that passed last week. University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist, who also holds the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law, has been reviewing the publicly available submissions and is raising concerns about one long submission in particular.
Spyware is covertly installed on a computer to collect information. (Photo: Shutterstock)
The submission examined is from the “Coalition of Business and Technology Associations” that includes the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Canadian Marketing Association, the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, the Entertainment Software Association of Canada, and the Information Technology Association of Canada. Among many changes, if adopted, the suggestions made by the group would legalize spyware in Canada on behalf of the industry groups, Geist writes. This could be used to block access to certain Web sites, detect alleged copyright infringement, or install keylogger programs.
The submission to Industry Canada calls on 10 exemptions from the act, meaning users wouldn’t have to give consent to have them installed on their devices. Programs could be installed to detect the contravention of law, to provide network management, is installed for reasons of public safety, or because maintenance or repair is being performed, among other reasons, the submission suggests.