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By Miriam Raftery
May 30, 2017 (San Diego) – Your Internet provider can now legally sell your browsing history and your email address, without your consent—thanks to legislation signed into law by President Trump. The measure passed the Senate by just 2 votes and the House by 10 votes. San Diego Republican Congressmen Duncan Hunter and Darrell Issa both voted for the measure – after taking $19,000 and $66,275 from the telecommunications industry respectively.
By contrast, San Diego Democratic Congressional members Susan Davis and Juan Vargas took no money from the telecommunications industry, and both voted against the measure, according to the National Institute on Money in State Politics. California’s two Senators, Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, also voted no.
The new law blocks landmark privacy regulations adopted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) during the Obama administration that were set to go into effect and would have blocked companies such as Google, Comcast, or AT&T from saving and selling customers’ browsing histories.
Ajit Pai, newly named FCC chair under Trump called the legislation “appropriate” and blamed his Democratic predecessor for executive overreach. He also said that responsibility for regulating Internet providers should fall to the Federl Trade Commission(FTC), not the FCC. However the FTC does not consider browser history to be sensitive or protected data, the Washington Post has reported.
The action has sparked alarm among privacy rights advocates. Imagine having not only your shopping habits, but potentially sensitive information such as your medical history or embarrassing details such as your preferred underwear styles available to anyone willing to pay for it. Thieves might learn when you’re on vacation by perusing your browsing history on flights and other travel details. Investigative journalists, police officers or private investigators could potentially find their work, safety or even their lives put at risk.
Angry voters in the district of Senator Jeff Flake (R-Arizona), the bill’s author, responded with heckling at town halls and erected a billboard which reads, “Flake betrayed you. He took $186,000 from telecoms, then he voted to let them sell your web history without permission.” It then encourages constituents to call and ask him why, the Washington Post reports.
The measure has been broadly condemned by consumer groups and privacy rights advocates, but was supported by telecom companies and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; business interests see opportunities in buying consumers’ browsing history in order to market products or services.
The Chamber argued that the measure was needed becasue the Obama rules "could inhibit the growth of the advertising-driven internet ecosystem."
Articles on major media sites about the vote drew near-universal opposition in comments sections among Trump voters as well as liberals. As late-night comedian Stephen Colbert observed, “This is what’s wrong with Washington D.C. I guarantee you there is not one person, not one voter of any political stripe anywhere in America who asked for this.”
Comments
Hysteria and Trumpcare
There was over a years worth of Committes and Hearings before voting on the Affordable Care Act. None of this happened with the GOP's version. All back room shenanigans Instead of trying to improve upon the ACA all we saw is that it must be repealed at any cost. Why? Because we must "Make White People Great Again"
I wish this weren't the case but it's pretty clear to many there is a very large number of white people that can't move past the issue of race. Even if it means voting against their own best interest. Very Sad
I am offended
Really folks,
" very large number of white people that can't move past the issue of race. Even if it means voting against their own best interest."
the person above is the being with the issues. It obviously hates white people and knows nothing about how obobocare was passed. there were no hearings, no amendments and the to quote the abuser and pathetic human being nancy pelosi. "we have to pass the bill to know whats in it"
sad that east county allows a far left racist to spew such hate
Not so....
The poster who made that remark IS white, but apparently trying to make the point that a certain percentage of voters who may have had backed Trump due to racial prejudices are now finding his policies are hurting them.
That said, obviously not every Trump voter is racist; there were many reasons why people backed his candidacy such as believing he'd be good for business or the economy.
But many probably disagree with some of the things he's done, such as taking away protection for those with pre-existing conditions on healthcare, and signing a bill to sell off your browsing history online.
the chamber of commerce is nobodies friend
what was the vote count , totals and by party tota;s? that is news, not hsyteria as most of this article is
let us also remember the chamber of commerce was in favor of the abusive and destructive obamacare, the dangerous idea of immigration reform and more open borders, they push the destructive goals of globalism and they were against President Trump and highly supportive of obama..
so is the chamber of commerce bad or good? in my book they have always been bad and not for the People or the preservation of the Constitutional Republic
Here is the vote count on the internet privacy bill:
https://www.theverge.com/2017/3/29/15100620/congress-fcc-isp-web-browsin...
Along with a list of how much money was given to each member. It passed the house by 10 votes.
Chambers of Commerce do good and bad things, depending on the issue and one's point of view. Like any interest group, their priority is protecting their business members' interests though I have heard a lot of people say that even if they hold Chamber memberships as small business owners, they disagree with the politics of the national and statewide chambers when it comes to issues that are harmful to individuals. Somehow I think if the Chamber had polled its members on this one, most people would have said "no way."