The AG's Office: Defensive Computing - WTIA October Security SIG October 6, 2008

The rapid development of technology has created an environment in which criminal and malicious acts can flourish. Placing the word ‘cyber’ in front of -criminal, -thief, -robber, -molester, or –predator only changes the criminals’ tools, not their motivations or goals. They still want to steal your money, to dominate or abuse, or to be destructive.

The Internet did not create crime, and sadly, it will not abolish it. What is new is that the Internet has given criminals broader access to more people and information than ever before. Because of the exponential growth of the internet, governments have not yet been able to create a set of rules and laws that can fully protect Washington’s citizens; the unpredictability of technology may ensure that they never will. Assistant Attorney General Paula Selis will be joining us October 6th to explain the many things that can be done to protect online consumers.

Ms. Selis presentation will detail:

The AGO’s expanding role in fighting high tech crime
Deceptive acts or practices targeting Washington’s online consumers
State enforcement authority
Current challenges to investigation and prosecution
If your company advertises online or solicits customers via email, you’ll also learn about violations of the Consumer Protection Act that you may be inadvertently committing! Ms. Selis is an expert in high tech civil law enforcement and will be available after the initial presentation to discuss issues of interest to you; however, any legal advice will have to be sought from your own general counsel.

PRESENTER:
Paula Selis is Senior Counsel for the Consumer Protection Division of the Washington State Attorney General's Office. Her responsibilities include litigation, legislation, and business and consumer education. She has been with the office since 1982.

Ms. Selis' areas of focus have included telemarketing, auto dealers, credit reporting and advertising. She has been responsible for heading the Office's Telemarketing Focus Group. On a national level, she has worked with the National Association of Attorneys General on a variety of issues, including cross-border telemarketing fraud, Internet fraud, and privacy. Since 1999, she has been the head of the Attorney General's Office Consumer Protection High Tech Unit, where her cases have centered on such issues as online privacy, Internet auction fraud, junk email, business opportunity scams and health care fraud. She has co-authored articles on Internet Auction Fraud and Privacy Policy Best Practices with the Shidler Center for Law, Commerce and Technology at the University of Washington Law School.

In addition to litigation, Ms. Selis has also worked on numerous bills sponsored by the Attorney General, including legislation regulating telemarketing, 900-numbers, credit reporting, auto brokering, going-out-of-business sales, unsolicited electronic mail, the promotional advertising of prizes, identity theft and consumer financial privacy.

Ms. Selis is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the Seattle University Law School.

Official Website: http://www.washingtontechnology.org/pages/events/events_events_wsaevent.asp?id=0810SIGSEC