U.S. House votes to wipe away FCC’s Internet privacy protectionsMarch 29, 2017 - 11:27 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - With a slim majority of 215 to 205, the U.S. House of Representatives just passed a resolution rolling back FCC privacy regulations. Approved last year, the rules required that ISPs get your explicit permission before selling "sensitive data" like your browsing history. The resolution already passed the Senate last week, and now will go before the President, who has said he plans to sign it, Engadget reports. The Electronic Frontier Foundation responded to the vote with a statement that "If the bill is signed into law, companies like Cox, Comcast, Time Warner, AT&T, and Verizon will have free rein to hijack your searches, sell your data, and hammer you with unwanted advertisements. Worst yet, consumers will now have to pay a privacy tax by relying on VPNs to safeguard their information." New FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is in support of rolling back the rules, claiming that "the FCC will work with the FTC to ensure that consumers' online privacy is protected through a consistent and comprehensive framework." Once this is signed by the president, it will be up to them just how creepy internet service providers can get. On the industry side, service providers also make that argument, claiming the privacy rules would've overreached and singled out internet service providers while allowing others like Google and Facebook to sell information. That doesn't, however, take into account how much data our ISP has access to, with the ability to know where you are, who you communicate with and what you say online potentially all up for sale. Also, many customers don't have more than one or two choices for broadband, reducing the possibility for privacy-friendly competition, Engadget said. Photo: PA Archive/PA Images Top stories Yerevan will host the 2024 edition of the World Congress On Information Technology (WCIT). Rustam Badasyan said due to the lack of such regulation, the state budget is deprived of VAT revenues. Krisp’s smart noise suppression tech silences ambient sounds and isolates your voice for calls. Gurgen Khachatryan claimed that the "illegalities have been taking place in 2020." Partner news Most popular in the section | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |