Recently, Public Knowledge filed an Opposition to Petitions for a Stay of the Federal Communications Commission’s Broadband Privacy rules adopted in 2016. The rules currently prevent Internet Service Providers from tracking a customer’s online behavior without permission. They also require broadband providers to obtain consumer consent prior to using customer data, including browsing history, app usage, and information related to finances, health and children.
The following can be attributed to Dallas Harris, Policy Fellow at Public Knowledge:
“After almost two years of having no rules and no protections, broadband providers and advertisers want to further delay having strong privacy protections from consumers. We cannot continue to have zero accountability from broadband providers when it comes to protecting the public’s personal information, from social security numbers to our internet browsing history to even our physical location.
“Americans have a right to control their own data and what happens to it, which is why Public Knowledge joined 10 other public interest groups in filing this Opposition. Broadband providers should remember that consumers aren’t the product — they’re the customers, and they have a right to control how their information is used.”
You may read our filing here or visit our privacy issue page for more information.
Members of the media may contact Communications Director Shiva Stella with inquiries, interview requests, or to join the Public Knowledge press list at shiva@publicknowledge.org or 405-249-9435.