US Senate votes 50-48 to do away with broadband privacy rules; let ISPs and telecoms to sell your internet history
Despite widespread disapproval from constituents, S.J.Res 34 has passed the United States Senate with a vote of 50-48, with two absent votes. Earlier today, at 12:25 Eastern March 23, 2017, the US Senate voted on S.J.Res 34, and will use the Congressional Review Act to strip away broadband privacy protections that kept Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and telecoms from selling your internet history and app data usage to third parties. S.J.Res 34 was first introduced by 23 Republican Senators earlier this month and its blitz approval is a giant blow to privacy rights in the United States.
The resolution, which is now effectively half passed, will hand responsibility of broadband privacy regulation from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and disallow the FCC from making any rules protecting Internet privacy ever again.
The 50 Senators that voted for S.J.Res 34 are (thanks to happyxpenguin):
Senator Roberts (R-KS)
Senator Lee (R-UT)
Senator Boozman (R-AR)
Senator Blunt (R-MO)
Senator Crapo (R-ID)
Senator Scott (R-SC)
Senator Cotton (R-AR)
Senator Hatch (R-UT)
Senator Capito (R-WV)
Senator Alexander (R-TN)
Senator Toomey (R-PA)
Senator Perdue (R-GA)
Senator Cochran (R-MS)
Senator Inhofe (R-OK)
Senator Ernst (R-IA)
Senator Lankford (R-OK)
Senator Collins (R-ME)
Senator Sullivan (R-AK)
Senator Thune (R-SD)
Senator McCain (R-AZ)
Senator Graham (R-SC)
Senator Wicker (R-MS)
Senator Grassley (R-IA)
Senator Burr (R-NC)
Senator Hoeven (R-ND)
Senator Tillis (R-NC)
Senator McConnell (R-KY)
Senator Heller (R-NV)
Senator Cruz (R-TX)
Senator Daines (R-MT)
Senator Portman (R-OH)
Senator Murkowsky (R-AK)
Senator Cassidy (R-LA)
Senator Flake (R-AZ)
Senator Johnson (R-WI)
Senator Rubio (R-FL)
Senator Corker (R-TN)
Senator Risch (R-ID)
Senator Gardner (R-CO)
Senator Young (R-IN)
Senator Barasso (R-WY)
Senator Moran (R-KS)
Senator Cornyn (R-TX)
Senator Enzi (R-WY)
Senator Kennedy (R-LA)
Senator Shelby (R-AL)
Senator Rounds (R-SD)
Absent:
Senator Paul (R-KY)
Senator Isakson (R-GA)
The FCC broadband privacy rules are closer to ending – allowing your private internet history to be sold
The Senators that voted for this have been lobbied by the telecoms and ISPs. Those in support of this stripping of privacy rights have even filed with the FCC attempting to claim that web history and app data usage information is not sensitive information. The EFF put it concisely: Senate Puts ISP Profits Over Your Privacy. Now, the only chance to maintain the hard earned FCC broadband privacy rules lies in defeating H.J.Res 86, the House version of this resolution, which will likely be voted on in the House of Representatives within the next month. It’s up to us to Save Broadband Privacy and make sure that we Don’t Let Congress Undermine Our Privacy.
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89 Comments
RAT Bastards
I don’t know crap about computer technology but i would like to know when did we the people ever say to the government and private sector that we want them to spy on us every way they can because i sure as hell want my privacy back not because i am committing crimes but because it should be my right unless i am committing crimes. Just more proof we are not really represented anymore.
Pandora’s box is open!
If the internet came with a warning, the booklet would be the size of the old yellow pages. When you surf the internet for information it isn’t free and far from a public library. Business want to build a model of every user, so they can sell, target and brainwash you to buy products. This happens at the supermarket, pharmacy, and retail stores. That is why we will never have privacy on the internet or at the stores we shop in.
The story is misleading. I learned a long time ago to check stores like this.
“Sensationalism” is good click-bait.
http://www.snopes.com/2017/03/15/senate-bill-internet-privacy/
Great! Start with the senators first. Start selling them. Next, business. Big companies would bay big to see what the next big idea a company is planning to make. And finally, government. More money there. It’s a good day to be alive. Now excuse me, I’m gonna get myself rich.