US Law To Let ISPs Sell Your Soul

[grarpamp]

http://www.flake.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/628ce252-7079-4e9a-b76c-d1107982dc02/03072017-flake-cra.pdf
http://www.flake.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=7B9C373D-449C-43A5-BEA2-923971A21061
https://politics.slashdot.org/story/17/03/08/2032228/gop-senators-new-bill-would-let-isps-sell-your-web-browsing-data
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/03/gop-senators-new-bill-would-let-isps-sell-your-web-browsing-data/

Yesterday, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and 23 Republican co-sponsors
introduced a resolution that would overturn new privacy rules for
internet service providers. "If the Federal Communications Commission
rules are eliminated, ISPs would not have to get consumers' explicit
consent before selling or sharing web browsing data and other privacy
information with advertisers and other third parties," reports Ars
Technica. "The measure would use lawmakers' power under the
Congressional Review Act to ensure that the FCC rulemaking 'shall have
no force or effect.' The resolution would also prevent the FCC from
issuing similar regulations in the future." From the report: Flake's
announcement said he's trying to "protect consumers from overreaching
Internet regulation." Flake also said that the resolution "empowers
consumers to make informed choices on if and how their data can be
shared," but he did not explain how it will achieve that. The privacy
order had several major components. The requirement to get the opt-in
consent of consumers before sharing information covered geo-location
data, financial and health information, children's information, Social
Security numbers, Web browsing history, app usage history, and the
content of communications. This requirement is supposed to take effect
on December 4, 2017. The rulemaking had a data security component that
required ISPs to take "reasonable" steps to protect customers'
information from theft and data breaches. This was supposed to take
effect on March 2, but the FCC under newly appointed Chairman Ajit Pai
halted the rule's implementation. Another set of requirements related
to data breach notifications is scheduled to take effect on June 2.
Flake's resolution would prevent all of those requirements from being
implemented. He said that this "is the first step toward restoring the
[Federal Trade Commission's] light-touch, consumer-friendly approach."
Giving the FTC authority over Internet service providers would require
further FCC or Congressional action because the FTC is not allowed to
regulate common carriers, a designation currently applied to ISPs.