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.
