Privacy groups want FTC investigation of Intel

Privacy groups want the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate Intel following concerns over security features in its forthcoming Pentium III chip.

The groups, which include the Washington based Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), are worried that user verification technology built into the processors will be used to collect information on users? web surfing activities which will then be used for marketing or law enforcement activities.

The groups say the technology is a violation of users? privacy and last week urged a boycott of all Intel products until the technology is removed from the chips.

At the end of last week, the chip giant said it would change the verification technology?s default from on to off on its Pentium III processors so that users could choose whether or not to use the facility.

On Friday, EPIC said the move was not sufficient to eliminate the privacy problems and that it would deliver a petition with the FTC within a month.

The FTC is also due to start its anti-trust trial against Intel at the beginning of March.