The group, which includes the Electronic Privacy Information Centre (EPIC), Junkbusters, and the Centre for Media Education, originally filed a formal complaint with the FTC over their concerns on 26th July. The group state that the method of steering users to sign up for the Passport authentication system contained in Windows XP amounts to an unfair and deceptive trade practice.
The information gathered by Passport will be stored on the Microsoft database. The group argues that this puts potentially sensitive commercial information into the hands of Microsoft, and even though Microsoft claims it will not use the information nor divulge it to third parties, security concerns remain.
The group now plans to update its original complaint, and has called for the FTC to investigate the claims. The group has called for an injunction to prevent Microsoft from launching Windows XP, scheduled for October 25th, until an investigation can be completed.
In its antitrust case, Microsoft has again requested a delay in the sending of the case to a lower court to determine what sanctions must be imposed on the company following the Appeal Court’s ruling that it was in breach of US antitrust laws.
The filing follows a request earlier this week by the US Justice Department for no further delay in the proceedings to be granted. The Department of Justice argues that any delay would allow Microsoft to press ahead with the launch of Windows XP before sanctions preventing anti-competitive practices can be enforced.
Microsoft has said that any delay in the trial would last no more than six weeks. It argues that the delay would let the US Supreme Court decide whether or not to accept Microsoft’s appeal against the Appeal Court’s ruling. It argues that a six week delay would not significantly affect the computer industry.