According to a group called Internet Alliance, "We believe that state regulation of Internet privacy will not work, will be impossible and costly to enforce, and ultimately confuse customers," wrote Emily Hackett in a letter to Urquhart and the House Public Utilities and Technology Committee.

Hackett said there are many "tools" out there now that can protect online privacy and make it impossible for anyone on the outside to see where consumers are surfing.

"Only an educated consumer, armed with technology, can establish real online privacy protection," she wrote. And even though legislation promises protection, "it is a promise that we believe is nearly impossible to keep."

Maybe so, but the committee voted unanimously in favor of the bill, which now goes to the full House.

Is your computer infected with spyware? Edelman said it is easy to find out. Log on to doxdesk.com for a free computer diagnosis. And if it turns out there are hidden spyware programs there, another Web site (Ad-Aware at lavasoft.nu Web site) can de-bug it for free for non-commercial users, he said.

"There are huge numbers of programs out there," Edelman said, noting he recently used one computer with 50 different spyware programs hidden on the inside. And most people, he said, are "sitting ducks."

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