Congress Moves to Overturn Obama-Era Online Privacy Rules -<br />By CECILIA KANGMARCH 28, 2017<br />WASHINGTON — Congress completed its overturning of the nation’s strongest internet privacy protections for individuals on Tuesday in a victory for telecommunications companies<br />that can track and sell a customer’s online information with greater ease.<br />“Online users will continue to have the consistent<br />and strong privacy protections they require and the promise of continued innovation they expect from the internet.”<br />Democratic lawmakers and regulators protested the vote, saying consumers had few options for high-speed<br />internet service, which meant more government oversight of the companies was needed.<br />“This results in rules that apply very different regulatory regimes based on the identity of the online actor.”<br />Broadband companies immediately celebrated the House vote.<br />“Today’s vote removing another set of unnecessary regulations is a win-win for consumers<br />and their privacy,” said Jonathan Spalter, the chief executive of the broadband lobbying group USTelecom.<br />C.C., Tom Wheeler, had created a slew of overbearing rules for broadband providers<br />that would put them at a disadvantage relative to internet companies like Google and Netflix.<br />rules would have given consumers greater power to stop companies from making money off such information, the Democrats said.
