http://www.consumerreports.org/privacy/s...and-rules/
The Senate Thursday voted to roll back the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) broadband privacy rules designed to give consumers greater control over how internet service providers (ISPs) collect, share, and sell personal information.
The rules, scheduled to go into effect later this year, would require ISPs to get consumers' permission before using "sensitive" information for commercial purposes. And the term sensitive was expanded beyond all children's information, Social Security numbers, and medical and financial data to include web browsing and app usage histories, and the content of communications such as email.
The Senate move signals an end to the FCC's effort to beef up ISP privacy requirements. The consumer-protection measures were adopted by the FCC in 2016 under then-chairman Tom Wheeler. But his Trump-era successor, Ajit Pai, opposes the rules. The agency under Pai already has rescinded a separate provision that imposed stronger data protection on ISPs.
“Internet service providers like Comcast and AT&T have been trying to get rid of these rules since the day they were approved, and the Senate just handed them a big victory," said Jonathan Schwantes, senior policy counsel for Consumers Union, the policy and mobilization arm of Consumer Reports. "Consumers have a fundamental right to privacy. This move by the Senate is a huge step in the wrong direction, and it completely ignores the needs and concerns of consumers.”
The Senate Thursday voted to roll back the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) broadband privacy rules designed to give consumers greater control over how internet service providers (ISPs) collect, share, and sell personal information.
The rules, scheduled to go into effect later this year, would require ISPs to get consumers' permission before using "sensitive" information for commercial purposes. And the term sensitive was expanded beyond all children's information, Social Security numbers, and medical and financial data to include web browsing and app usage histories, and the content of communications such as email.
The Senate move signals an end to the FCC's effort to beef up ISP privacy requirements. The consumer-protection measures were adopted by the FCC in 2016 under then-chairman Tom Wheeler. But his Trump-era successor, Ajit Pai, opposes the rules. The agency under Pai already has rescinded a separate provision that imposed stronger data protection on ISPs.
“Internet service providers like Comcast and AT&T have been trying to get rid of these rules since the day they were approved, and the Senate just handed them a big victory," said Jonathan Schwantes, senior policy counsel for Consumers Union, the policy and mobilization arm of Consumer Reports. "Consumers have a fundamental right to privacy. This move by the Senate is a huge step in the wrong direction, and it completely ignores the needs and concerns of consumers.”