FCC Proposes Baseline Privacy Protections Against ISP Tracking

[Lucian Armasu]

The FCC proposed new privacy rules that would allow customers to opt out of data collection and sharing with third parties, and it would require ISPs to ask for opt-in consent before using the data for any non communications-related services.

FCC Proposes Baseline Privacy Protections Against ISP Tracking : Read more

 

[jasonelmore]

Mr Wheeler, Just allow Competition and all of these other rules wouldnt need to be made up.. The ISP's would compete on privacy.

simple solution, let us have competition in the broadband arena.. Not just mobile arena.. We want multiple cable choices, at least one fiber choice, and multiple dsl choices.

thanks

 

[firefoxx04]

Can't compete without running multiple cables to each home.. Or several fiber lines. Too expensive. It has to be a controlled monopoly.

What needs to happen is Google fiber needs to spread like wild fire.

 

[Brian28]

Mr Wheeler, Just allow Competition and all of these other rules wouldnt need to be made up.. The ISP's would compete on privacy.

Competition would be good, but we still need some rules to provide transparency. Without that much, the ISPs could just lie or mislead about how they collected or used your data. (Verizon: "No, we don't have supercookies.") Even with more competition, the barriers to entry are still high to build new infrastructure, so we are unlikely to get enough choices to see the truly good options flourish.

 

[alextheblue]

Can't compete without running multiple cables to each home.. Or several fiber lines. Too expensive. It has to be a controlled monopoly.

If the local and state governments didn't have contracts with cable firms establishing them as government-sanctioned monopolies, we could use the existing infrastructure. Just like they do with analog phone service as well as DSL. In fact some areas already do it, there are a few places where multiple cable companies share (rent/lease access from whichever firm owns them) the same lines and you choose which provider you want.

I do feel that fiber is a better solution long-term and that DOES require new lines. FiOS for example is really fantastic, as shown by the ISP poll here at TH. Even so, if we had more competition in cable internet then FiOS would have more pricing pressure from the cable ISPs. This would lower costs even for FiOS subscribers.

 

[alextheblue]

Oh and as far as ISP tracking goes, that's a good start but... they're the least of our worries. That doesn't touch concerns about tracking by Google and the warrantless data-snooping of the Feds. I MEAN- all praise our wonderful overlords!! They're protecting us from ourselves, bless them!

 

[falchard]

Usually I am the screw the FCC let the free market do its thing sorta commenter. But this is a good idea.

 

[Richard_82]

Mr Wheeler, Just allow Competition and all of these other rules wouldnt need to be made up.. The ISP's would compete on privacy.

simple solution, let us have competition in the broadband arena.. Not just mobile arena.. We want multiple cable choices, at least one fiber choice, and multiple dsl choices.

thanks

Execpt there is not competition, in this realm, no isp including google, privacy is something that consumers want, and isp's are unwilling to have competition over not a single one. As it is a touchy matter with our (US) own government this furthers the issue of privacy making an already unwilling isp have an excuse. So please spare me free market bull, free market works when companys want to compete, not when there all of the like mind-set.

 

[jasonelmore]

You cant really say that Richard, because there are a lot of ISP's that dont exist, that would exist if competition is allowed.

What really needs to happen is the goverment needs to own the fiber and everyone else ride on top of it. Fiber is definitely the perfect cable for internet. Cable distance hardly matters, Latency is super low (light has no resistance to fight with vs copper and electrons), it's bendable/flexible, Temperature does not affect it, etc... the list goes on and on. So there is no reason to keep wasting money and time on laying new copper. I would hope 20 years from now most major highways have fibre buried underneath them. Atm, barely any of them have it.

 

[falchard]

Nothing could be worse for the internet than the government stepping in and owning all the fiber lines. Most people don't realize just the sheer amount of internet infrastructure growth happening in the United States. Most of it is done efficiently now instead of a patchy network of connected computers. It would be like mirroring the development of rail and probably have similar results.

 

[Richard_82]

You cant really say that Richard, because there are a lot of ISP's that dont exist, that would exist if competition is allowed.

What really needs to happen is the goverment needs to own the fiber and everyone else ride on top of it. Fiber is definitely the perfect cable for internet. Cable distance hardly matters, Latency is super low (light has no resistance to fight with vs copper and electrons), it's bendable/flexible, Temperature does not affect it, etc... the list goes on and on. So there is no reason to keep wasting money and time on laying new copper. I would hope 20 years from now most major highways have fibre buried underneath them. Atm, barely any of them have it.

its called a "standard of practice" there doing it so will I, and the fact that i can get money for your information in heaps, or other benefits. As far as FCC stepping in, that privacy should also include encryption, with a minimum end to end encryption to shut up other gov. agency's, IT is unfortunate that the FCC is needing to step in. if competition existed it wouldn't have been an issue. Whatever happened to the "right to remain silent" (via freedom of speech), or to have a private conversation without folks listening in and watching almost every move, take a look, at all the ways companies try to pry information from you for free (personally i call that slavery, making someone work for free, discounts are not a wage.) SO yes i can say that, consumers want privacy, ISP is not willing to compete on privacy, hasnt wanted to compete on that for 25-30 years. So yes free market can work, but like i said ONLY WHEN THEY WANT TO COMPETE. WHICH MEANS IF EVERY COMPANY IS DOING THE SAME THING, ITS NOT REALLY COMPETITION. 1970 people in majority where in favor of privacy by 60% 80's little more than 50%, 90's about 70%, 2k again 70%, 2k10 around mid 80% and rising, all in favor of having privacy as an option. So again yes i can say that, i can most defentaly say that ISP is not competing for privacy of its customers. Free market only works if the industry consernd wants to compete on a matter on any given matter.
Do i wish that the FCC to step in no, Unfortantly, ISP was not competing and openly refused, I wish the law was written in a fashion that forced them to compete on the matter, but its easyer to enforce law that has clear lines, which i understand its better to have clear laws than abusable laws.

 

[Richard_82]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvQ6I9xrEu0