Spyware maker fined $4 million

BBC News reports the US Federal Trade Commission has fined spyware creator Sanford Wallace to hand over the $4 million he made by putting unwanted software on PCs.

The FTC imposed fines because Mr Wallace did not get permission from users to install the software that bombarded them with pop-up adverts.

Mr Wallace has said he has done nothing wrong and is being persecuted for his former involvement with junk mail.

Legal action was first taken by the FTC against Mr Wallace in 2004. Under an agreement brokered between the two in 2005 Mr Wallace agreed to stop putting his advertising programs on computers.