{"id":4184,"date":"2017-03-23T05:41:46","date_gmt":"2017-03-23T12:41:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/?p=4184"},"modified":"2021-07-21T04:41:25","modified_gmt":"2021-07-21T11:41:25","slug":"today-senators-will-vote-allow-isps-sell-internet-history-end-fcc-online-privacy-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/today-senators-will-vote-allow-isps-sell-internet-history-end-fcc-online-privacy-rules\/","title":{"rendered":"Today, Senators will vote to allow ISPs to sell your internet history and end FCC online privacy rules"},"content":{"rendered":"

On March 23rd, 2017, the US Senate votes on S.J.Res 34, which would use the Congressional Review Act to strip away online privacy protections\u00a0gained under the FCC\u00a0and also disallow the FCC from enacting privacy rules\u00a0in the future. The resolution, if passed along with its House counterpart and then signed into law, would pass the responsibility of online privacy regulation from the FCC<\/a> onto the FTC, with the American public losing out in the meantime.<\/p>\n

Update:\u00a0<\/strong>US Senate votes 50-48 to do away with broadband privacy rules; let ISPs and telecoms to sell your internet history<\/a><\/p>\n

The FCC online privacy rules<\/a>\u00a0currently require ISPs to get your affirmative consent before selling your personal, sensitive information to advertisers. Notably, the FCC didn\u2019t go as far as to ban \u201cpay-for-privacy\u201d schemes\u00a0that were being offered by some ISPs. Back in 2016, when the FCC passed sweeping net neutrality and online privacy rules for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and telecoms to follow, the FTC did release\u00a0a statement titled:\u00a0Net Neutrality and Privacy: Don\u2019t Fear the Reclassification.<\/p>\n

The Senators that proposed this resolution did so for a reason<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re wondering whether or not the Senators that proposed S.J.Res 34 received any money from ISPs or telecoms, the answer is a resounding yes. Vocativ has a nice infographic that shows which Senators have received donations from telecoms and ISPs, and even trade groups like the CTIA. In a recent filing with the FCC, the CTIA has been attempting to push the idea that web browsing history and app usage data are not sensitive information<\/a>.<\/p>

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\"Which<\/a>
Infographic from Vocativ.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Some do still believe in online privacy<\/h2>\n

The opposition to this Senate Resolution comes from far and wide, as\u00a0it should. The internet history\u00a0of every American is what is at stake, and there are advertising agencies around the world waiting to scoop up your private information. ACLU Counsel Neema Singh Guliani warned:<\/p>\n

\u201cWith this move, Congress is essentially allowing companies like Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon to sell consumers\u2019 private information to the highest bidder\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Senator Brian Schatz called it<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe single biggest step backwards in online privacy in many years.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Senator Edward Markey commented<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cJust as phone companies cannot sell information about Americans\u2019 phone calls, an internet service provider should not be allowed to sell sensitive consumer information without affirmative consent.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He also tweeted:<\/p>\n

\n

\ud83d\udea8\u00a0ALERT: @SenateGOP<\/a> will vote tomorrow night to allow ISPs to sell your personal info to the highest bidder. Protect #BroadbandPrivacy<\/a> \ud83d\udea8<\/p>\n

\u2014 Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) March 22, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n