The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

     (1) "Advertisement" means a communication, the primary purpose of which is the commercial promotion of a commercial product or service, including a communication on an internet web site that is operated for a commercial purpose.

     (2) "Computer software" means a sequence of instructions written in any programming language that is executed on a computer. "Computer software" does not include computer software that is a web page, or are data components of web pages that are not executable independently of the web page.

     (3) "Damage" means any significant impairment to the integrity or availability of data, computer software, a system, or information.

     (4) "Deceptive" means: (a) A materially false or fraudulent statement; or (b) a statement or description that omits or misrepresents material information in order to deceive an owner or operator.

     (5) "Execute" means the performance of the functions or the carrying out of the instructions of the computer software.

     (6) "Internet" means the global information system that is logically linked together by a globally unique address space based on the internet protocol (IP), or its subsequent extensions, and that is able to support communications using the transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) suite, or its subsequent extensions, or other IP-compatible protocols, and that provides, uses, or makes accessible, either publicly or privately, high level services layered on the communications and related infrastructure described in this subsection.

     (7) "Owner or operator" means the owner or lessee of a computer, or someone using such computer with the owner's or lessee's authorization. "Owner or operator" does not include any person who owns a computer before the first retail sale of such computer.

     (8) "Person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, or other organization, or any combination thereof.

     (9) "Personally identifiable information" means any of the following with respect to an individual who is an owner or operator:

     (a) First name or first initial in combination with last name;

     (b) A home or other physical address including street name;

     (c) An electronic mail address;

     (d) A credit or debit card number, bank account number, or a password or access code associated with a credit or debit card or bank account;

     (e) Social security number, tax identification number, driver's license number, passport number, or any other government-issued identification number; or

     (f) Any of the following information in a form that personally identifies an owner or operator:

     (i) Account balances;

     (ii) Overdraft history; or

     (iii) Payment history.

     (10) "Procure" means to knowingly, or with conscious avoidance of knowledge, pay or provide other consideration to, or induce, another person to transmit on one's behalf.

     (11) "Transmit" means to knowingly, or with conscious avoidance of knowledge, transfer, send, or make available computer software, or any component thereof, via the internet or any other medium, including local area networks of computers, other nonwire transmission, and disc or other data storage device. "Transmit" does not include any action by a person providing:

     (a) The internet connection, telephone connection, or other means of transmission capability through which the software was made available;

     (b) The storage or hosting of the software program or a web page through which the software was made available, unless the person providing the storage or hosting services knows or reasonably should know there is or will be a violation of this chapter, and participates in or ratifies the actions constituting the violation; or

     (c) An information location tool, such as a directory, index reference, pointer, or hypertext link, through which the user of the computer located the software, unless such person receives a direct economic benefit from the execution of such software on the computer.

[2008 c 66 § 1; 2005 c 500 § 1.]