senate Bill S. Joint Res. 34
Should an FCC Rule Imposing Data Privacy Requirements on Internet Service Providers be Repealed?
Argument in favor
The FCC’s new regulation conflicts with Federal Trade Commission rules and doesn’t do anything new to protect consumer privacy and imposes new requirements that stifle innovation. They deny internet service providers the ability to use consumer data like other internet companies (like Google) to make money.
03/23/2017
I'm totally in favor of protecting the individual's privacy, but let's solve this problem by increasing liberty rather than restricting it. Allow ISPs the legal opportunity to collect usage data. First of all, Google, Facebook, and the NSA are doing this on you already, so let's at least be consistent in the application of outrage over someone collecting data about our internet usage and history. Moving on, so now let's assume ISPs CAN collect usage data. WILL they? Sure, some will. And if it is important to you, as a consumer in a free market, to do business with an ISP that does NOT, well I bet you're not alone. I bet there's a market there that someone would be happy to cater to. At that point, under a free system, people who don't care can continue about their business with companies that have an extra way to create revenue that doesn't come from those consumers (in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the opportunity to collect and sell usage data attracts new entrants into the market looking for that revenue stream, thereby increasing competition and lowering prices), and people who do care will do business with providers that cater to privacy. Not enough ISP competition in your area? Maybe the government should stop artificially restricting the ability of ISPs to compete through its mechanism of auctioning off exclusive regional provider contracts. No regulation required. What IS required is for consumers to be less mindless about what they're agreeing to. Take some personal responsibility about learning what you're signing up for.
03/23/2017
Frankly, I feel strongly Yea and Nay. But this FCC rule happened on Obama's watch just prior to the primary and I'm all things negative on Obama. Thus I will support Senator Flake with a Yea.
03/23/2017
While I normally am against the seizure of private information without an official warrant, this would at least prevent internet service providers to be ability to unfairly profit
Argument opposed
Killing the FCC’s privacy rule would leave consumers defenseless against abusive invasions of their privacy by their internet service provider which can include deeply personal data that’s then sold for a profit. This resolution is a step towards rolling back net neutrality rules and needs to be stopped so the rule can remain.
03/23/2017
This is similar to the Post Office opening your mail and collecting data to sell. The ISPs have no right to this information.
03/23/2017
The job of Congress is to protect citizens, not line the pockets of businesses. Do your job and protect my privacy!
I'm totally in favor of protecting the individual's privacy, but let's solve this problem by increasing liberty rather than restricting it. Allow ISPs the legal opportunity to collect usage data. First of all, Google, Facebook, and the NSA are doing this on you already, so let's at least be consistent in the application of outrage over someone collecting data about our internet usage and history. Moving on, so now let's assume ISPs CAN collect usage data. WILL they? Sure, some will. And if it is important to you, as a consumer in a free market, to do business with an ISP that does NOT, well I bet you're not alone. I bet there's a market there that someone would be happy to cater to. At that point, under a free system, people who don't care can continue about their business with companies that have an extra way to create revenue that doesn't come from those consumers (in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the opportunity to collect and sell usage data attracts new entrants into the market looking for that revenue stream, thereby increasing competition and lowering prices), and people who do care will do business with providers that cater to privacy. Not enough ISP competition in your area? Maybe the government should stop artificially restricting the ability of ISPs to compete through its mechanism of auctioning off exclusive regional provider contracts. No regulation required. What IS required is for consumers to be less mindless about what they're agreeing to. Take some personal responsibility about learning what you're signing up for.
This is similar to the Post Office opening your mail and collecting data to sell. The ISPs have no right to this information.
The job of Congress is to protect citizens, not line the pockets of businesses. Do your job and protect my privacy!
Please vote nay. Our privacy has been under attack for years and this is one ruling that helps protect it.. Do not repeal.
It's MY data and MY privacy. This is a sellout to corporate America.
You (ISPs) are not Google. First problem; even if you opt out, the information that they would be selling is still being collected in the background, which is an invasion of privacy. At least with Google, if you don't like this fact you can easily leave their eco-system. On the other hand, it is not as easy to leave an ISP. Second problem; as an example, I have access to only (2) ISPs where I currently live, which handcuffs me if I don't like how one/both are conducting business. Third problem; while Google does collect and is a part of our everyday devices, our ISPs are at the heart of connection to our devices. It's not browser history that concerns me, its the information that is typically cutoff from access (with the exceptions of hacking). They could collect data from my smart home equipment, transference of files within my home intranet/cloud systems, security information or footage within the confines of my local network, etc. I would normally be able to disconnect these processes from data mining that Google does, however, I don't believe it would be safe from an ISP. Your ISP is and should remain a one-way street, do not vote for opt-in hacking.
This oligarchy has no business in my personal data without my specific permission Privacy is one of my constitutional rights!
This an egregious breach of citizen privacy. I fully expect that you will protect the rights of citizens to privacy and oppose this repeal.
ISP's should not be allowed to gather and disseminate, sell or in any way profit from what is, in essence, private data. We don't allow the post office to open and read/copy/disseminate the content of our mail nor do we allow telephone/cellular providers to listen in on our private conversations for their pleasure or profit. ISP's are no different! This is not Russia (yet)!! “Senate Republicans just made it easier for Americans’ sensitive information about their health, finances and families to be used, shared and sold to the highest bidder without their permission,” said Senator Edward J. Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts.
I think it'll be an eye opener to see if your state representative votes in favor of repealing this bill... The only question after that is how much did they take from corporate lobbyists pushing their own private agenda?
ISP's should not be allowed to gather and disseminate, sell or in any way profit from what is, in essence, private data. We don't allow the post office to open and read/copy/disseminate the content of our mail nor do we allow telephone/cellular providers to listen in on our private conversations for their pleasure or profit. ISP's are no different!
At a time when there are massive data breaches nearly every day. Tradeoffs between security, privacy and profit should be very carefully considered. The protection of privacy is critical to trust and the healthy functioning of a democracy. Let's be careful here folks.
Frankly, I feel strongly Yea and Nay. But this FCC rule happened on Obama's watch just prior to the primary and I'm all things negative on Obama. Thus I will support Senator Flake with a Yea.
Facebook makes millions of dollars a day selling your personal information. I am not a product.
People who are saying that ISPs should be able to do this because services like Facebook and Google already collect this information are missing the fundamental difference between what these companies are. Facebook and Google offer their services for free so that they can sell advertising. We are not the customer, we are the product. An ISP gets paid by me, and therefore they ought to be obligated to protect my interests.
The default setting for our privacy should always be, someone must clearly ask to invade it. Not the current trend of permission is implied or we have to ask in writing to stop the invasion.
Internet privacy must be maintained if we wish to retain our democracy. Government and corporations have enough access to our personal lives in their freedom to advertise and manufacture consent. We need to retain what limited ability we have to act independently among ourselves or we will have none at all!