White House ID Theft Task Force Urges for New Legislations

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Federal Trade Commission Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras led a task force from the White House to implore U.S. Congress on April 23, 2007 to legislate various types of new laws to clamp down on identity fraud.

The freshly launched national scheme uses two volumes and 190 pages. It summons reframing the present criminal laws to punish for using malicious spyware and keyloggers. It also calls for extending the minimum prison sentences for some specific electronic data theft. Also, there is a demand for monetary compensation to identity theft victims for both their direct financial damages and for the time they spend to get back to their routines. Zdnetasia published this in news on April 24, 2007.

In 2006, when George Bush created The President's Identity Theft Task Force, it summoned national standards for data protection aiming private companies that accumulate and sell personal information. The task force also called for a national law under which companies should notify customers of any breach of their personal data.

The task force further recommended that federal agencies should no more use Social Security numbers and the federal government should impart to agencies, data security best practices.

Co-chairman of the task force, Alberto Gonzales described ID fraud a national security problem. He said at a press conference that ID theft is a surreptitious personal intrusion that can snatch the good names of innocent people. PCworld published this in news on April 23, 2007.

To combat ID theft there is need for a comprehensive approach, said Platt Majoras, co-chairwoman of the task force. She said a coordinated approach alone could reach out completely and make the impact necessary to best curb this crime. Zdnetasia published this in news on April 24, 2007.

The crime is a black spot on US' privacy and security scenario, she continued. It erodes the trust in a person's credibility, a vital element of American economy, she said. PCworld published this in news on April 23, 2007.

Microsoft, Apple, and Cisco Systems as members of The Business Software Alliance praised the findings and provisions of the task force.

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» SPAMfighter News - 5/1/2007