Final answer:
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act applies to publicly traded companies and was enacted to increase confidence in financial information and protect investors from accounting fraud.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act applies to publicly traded companies. It was enacted in response to major accounting scandals involving corporations like Enron, Tyco International, and WorldCom. The act was designed to increase confidence in financial information provided by public corporations and to protect investors from accounting fraud.