Lawmakers in the House and Senate hopes to push legislation to replace the internet privacy regulations set during the Obama administration. The planned move by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) would lead to a supply of consumer complaints about their privacy rights.
In an article published in Augusta Chronicle, there are at least two Senate bills that are being drafted to address the regulatory void and public outcry that was created last month after congressional Republicans repealed internet privacy rules that were issued by the FCC last year, basing from the Congressional Review Act. With the repeal on the internet privacy, the internet service providers like Comcast and Verizon and use and sell their customers' online internet activities for marketing purposes unless consumers requested to opt out.
In an article published by Phys.org, Republican senators Mike Lee of Utah and Steve Daines of Montana are currently working separately on legislation. However, Lee's spokesman said that it may team up if their objectives align. He also said that the issue of Internet privacy is something that needs to be addressed.
The panel's chairman, Republican Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, recently called for a bipartisan legislative compromise on internet privacy and the larger internet regulatory issue of net neutrality. The FCC has also started the process of rolling back net neutrality.
The repeal on internet privacy will put the reshaping of business models underlying on the Internet economy at stake since they rely on advertising targeted to users based on information collected about their location and how they use the web. There would also be stricter privacy rules that would limit the ability to collect and share that information.
In another move to repeal bills on internet privacy, Tennessee Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn roiled the internet industry last week with a bill that would require all Internet firms in obtaining advance consent before collecting and selling or sharing users' information like the websites they visit. She is also the chair of House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
