On September 5, the FTC and 32 state Attorneys General agreed to settle charges that a major computer manufacturer "harmed consumers by pre-loading software on some laptops that compromised security protections in order to deliver ads to consumers." In its press release, the FTC detailed how pre-loaded software created vulnerabilities that enabled potential hackers to access consumer information and communications. As part of the settlement, the company is prohibited from misrepresenting features about the software on its devices and must implement a 20-year comprehensive software security program subject to third-party audits.
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