Electronic Privacy Protection Act
Latest action (3 Jan 2001): Introduced
What this bill does
H.R. 112, the Electronic Privacy Protection Act, was introduced in the 107th Congress in 2001 by Rep. Rush Holt. The bill would make it unlawful to make, import, export, distribute, sell, install, or use "information collection devices"—software capable of collecting and transmitting identifiable computer or user information, excluding simple cookies—unless certain disclosure and consent requirements were met. It would direct the Federal Trade Commission to issue regulations within 120 days requiring that such devices carry clear labels disclosing their data-transmission capability, and that anyone installing such software on a computer they do not control first give notice to, and obtain consent from, the computer's primary user. Consent would need to be obtained for each installation or use, and the person seeking consent would need a good-faith belief that the consenting individual is an adult with authority to consent.
The bill would affect software makers, distributors, and sellers, as well as anyone installing data-collecting programs on others' computers, including cases involving minors, for whom violations would carry doubled fines. Penalties for violations would be $500 for a first offense and $1,500 for subsequent offenses, with each unauthorized transmission counted separately. Devices made before enactment would be exempt from the labeling requirement.
The bill was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce after introduction on January 3, 2001. It did not receive a vote and did not advance further before the end of that Congress.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Electronic Privacy Protection Act - Makes it unlawful for any person to knowingly: (1) make, import, export, or sell an information collection device for a computer unless it has a label disclosing to the computer's primary user or to another operator who is not a primary user that it may transmit from the computer information identifiable to it; (2) install an information collection device on a computer that is not under general management and control of such person, unless such person has given notice of such installation to the computer's primary user and obtained the user's consent to such installation; or (3) use an information collection device to transmit from a computer that is not under general management and control of such person any information identifiable to such computer to a primary user or to an operator who is not a primary user, unless such person has given notice that the device may transmit such information to the primary user and obtained the user's consent to such transmission.Sets forth civil penalties for violations of this Act.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 112 do?
- H.R. 112, the Electronic Privacy Protection Act, was introduced in the 107th Congress in 2001 by Rep. Rush Holt. The bill would make it unlawful to make, import, export, distribute, sell, install, or use "information collection devices"—software capable of collecting and transmitting identifiable computer or user information, excluding simple cookies—unless certain disclosure and consent requirements were met. It would direct the Federal Trade Commission to issue regulations within 120 days requiring that such devices carry clear labels disclosing their data-transmission capability, and that anyone installing such software on a computer they do not control first give notice to, and obtain consent from, the computer's primary user. Consent would need to be obtained for each installation or use, and the person seeking consent would need a good-faith belief that the consenting individual is an adult with authority to consent. The bill would affect software makers, distributors, and sellers, as well as anyone installing data-collecting programs on others' computers, including cases involving minors, for whom violations would carry doubled fines. Penalties for violations would be $500 for a first offense and $1,500 for subsequent offenses, with each unauthorized transmission counted separately. Devices made before enactment would be exempt from the labeling requirement. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce after introduction on January 3, 2001. It did not receive a vote and did not advance further before the end of that Congress.
- Has H.R. 112 become law?
- Not yet. As of 3 Jan 2001, H.R. 112 is introduced.
- Who sponsored H.R. 112?
- H.R. 112 was sponsored by Rep. Rush Holt [D-NJ12, 1999-2014] (Democrat-NJ), with 0 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 112?
- Introduced (3 Jan 2001).
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