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FCC Threatens Regulations Limiting Data Collection by ISPs
In another move that increases the power of internet service providers, such as Comcast, Time Warner, AT&T, Verizon, and others, the Federal Communications Commission paused the roll-out of previously approved regulations requiring companies to inform their customers about what information is collected about them and how it is being used.
The newly appointed Republican chairman of the Federal Communications Commission is moving to scale back the implementation of sweeping privacy rules for Internet providers passed last year.
Chairman Ajit Pai on Friday asked the FCC to hit pause on the rollout of one part of those rules that was scheduled to go into effect next week. This marks the latest in his efforts to roll back his predecessor's regulatory moves.
Overall, the privacy rules would regulate how ISPs have to disclose to their customers what information is collected on them and how it's used or shared with other companies — including guidance on getting consumers' consent in some cases.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has argued that the rules place an unfair burden on the ISPs as websites such as Google or Amazon are not subject to the same requirements. While this is true, ISPs have access to literally every online action one of their customers performs. In a theoretically freer market environment, internet users could switch to a more transparent ISP. But we all know that this notion is pure fantasy. The reality is that the vast majority of online users are restricted to only 1 or 2 giant corporations for internet access.