Protecting Customer privacy and security, Federal Communication Commission has delayed its own new rules which widen the space for Comcast, Verizon and other internet service providers (ISP) who were selling your data without your permission.
However, FCC has suspended the privacy rules that all the ISPs should protect your personal data from Hackers, inform you if someone accesses your data and before selling your data they should get clear permission from you, in the package passed last October.
Websites like Facebook and google are regulated by both FCC and FTC, they also released a joint statement that presents an intention to get rid of the privacy rules before the implementation later this year.
United at one statement FCC chairman Ajit Pai and Federal Trade Commission chairman Maureen K. Ohlhausen said, “The Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission are committed to protecting the online privacy of American consumers.” According to them, consistent and comprehensive efforts could be the most appropriate way to do that.
FCC chairman Ajit Pai has completely opposed the rules saying that IPSs and websites should follow similar privacy and security rules. Although Pai has said before, that the different set of rules for IPSs and Websites could lead to confusing the customers.
NEEDED PROTECTIONS
Internet Providers are given the status of providing ‘Reasonable Data Security’ in the last year’s privacy and security orders instead of setting specific rules that IPSs should follow to protect customer Data. This gives a clear view of the orders that for every security breach, Internet Provider would not be held liable and IPSs could also get certain guidance from FCC’s Privacy Rules. Moreover, providers could also follow other privacy rules such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). However the new rules from FCC could be too obscure and incompatible with the FTCs regulation, the Industry Groups objected.
Traditionally FTC was to protect Internet Privacy. Banning Internet Providers from discriminating between certain websites and apps, the FCC in 2015 enables the agency to implement net neutrality rules by reclassifying them as utility-like ‘Common Carriers’. AT&T last year filed a lawsuit due to which a federal court has taken the authority of FTC over IPSs as they now are qualified as ‘Common Carriers’.
The most important difference between stringent privacy rules by FCC after court orders and FTC’s rules was the ban on selling customer Data without permission, is expected yo be implemented this December. Almost all your internet activities are examined by your Internet Provider. They can see which website you explore, how much time you spend on that and at what time you visit it. Even Google Encryption process which prevents showing your online searches could not stop them.
In 2012, Verizon started to track their Customer Data which was used to target the ads on its own websites like Huffington’s post. Later the company made customers responsible for opting out of that tracking and limited tracking your behavior on Verizon-owned sites only. However, FCC’s new rules ban Verizon or others IPSs to track your Data without your permission.
Telcos will have the freedom to sell your data unless the pre-existing FCC rules are in order which already banned providers from tracking customer data without permission. Although regulations let both IPSs and Websites to sell your data seems consistent but not enough evident to make it sensible.
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About the Author
Zehra Ali is a Tech Reporter and Journalist. She has done her Masters in Mass Communication. Topics related to cybersecurity, IoT, AI, Big Data and other privacy matters are extensively covered by her on various platforms. You can follow her on twitter.
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