Internet Privacy Repeal, For or Against?

[MrAl]

Hi,

What do you think about this. This allows companies all of the world to see what people are reading online and target them with advertisements.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/327107-trump-signs-internet-privacy-repeal

Mod note: Please keep comments non-political and only address the question. Political comments will be removed, and may lead to thread closure.

 

[MikeMl]

Planning my escape to Canada. The US is screwed...

 

[cowboybob]

Unfortunately, any governmental privacy regulations placed on the internet will, essentially, be meaningless and unenforceable. The international nature of the service assures that.

Sort of like auto safety regs: for all the "good" effects, the government will never be able to, frankly, legislate away stupidly operated machines.

Best defense will remain with the individual, i.e., understand that you have zero privacy and act accordingly.

 

[JoeJester]

No one has cited a CFR that has been changed. Till I read what the CFR actually stated and what was actually removed, I can not have an informed opinion. 47 USC and 47 CFR are the documents in question. I do not have the time nor energy to review the thousands of pages to discertain what these people are talking about. Privacy is already covered in 2 USC both as Personal Information and Protected Personal Information.

Of course, the public could have petitioned the FCC to make a rule. The rulemaking process is described at https://www.fcc.gov/about-fcc/rulemaking-process. The Congressional Review and presidential signature not only removes the material, but, the FCC can not, itself, propose it again. However, the public can petition to make a rule. The FCC would be acting in the public's interest, as determined by the public.

So, other than what reporters are reporting, has anyone seen a specific cite for inquiring minds to read?

No one has cited an Executive Order which would have been signed by President Obama.

From the FCC's Rulemaking
By reclassifying BIAS as telecommunications service, we have an obligation to make certain that BIAS providers are protecting their customers’ privacy while encouraging the technological and business innovation that help drive the many benefits of our increasingly Internet-based economy.

BIAS is broadband internet access services, defined earlier in https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-16-148A1.pdf

That rule was a "me too" rule, as the FTC already had one. The FCC cited a 2015 Executive Order by Obama.

The question is ... Is the internet a telecommunication service?

And here's an interesting tidbit from the FCC fact sheet ... https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-341938A1.pdf

What the Rules Do NOT Do:
 Do not regulate the privacy practices of websites or apps, like Twitter or Facebook, over which the Federal Trade Commission has authority.
 Do not regulate other services of broadband providers, such as operation of a social media website.
 Do not address issues such as government surveillance, encryption or law enforcement.

Here are two client advisories one from Nov and one after the CRA

https://www.commlawmonitor.com/2016...nt-advisory-the-fccs-broadband-privacy-order/

https://www.kelleydrye.com/News-Eve...ess-Repeals-FCC-2016-Privacy-Order-via-Congre

 

[MrAl]

Hi,

I do not regard the argument that because nothing has changed it does not matter as being a valid argument. That's because just because something did not yet get enforced that it should be removed entirely. If the city works did not get around to putting up a stop sign in a place where it was needed by some deadline, that does not mean we should never put up that stop sign.

The argument that is may be hard to enforce is another story. If we never get wind of someone violating the privacy act then we can never do anything about it. But, it would be more pressure on them because they would then be taking a chance that could land them a heavy fine.

What may be the case now is that privacy is gone. There is no more 'stalking' i guess because anyone is allowed to stalk you wherever you go.

There is a chance we can build up a ethics issue i guess, where the companies that do it the most will be more frowned on. This would mean WE would be following THEM and TRACKING what THEY are doing too and reporting it to anyone that wants to see it in public forums. See how they like it.

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

Is some amount of spying OK. If you search for something, you start seeing advertisement for that something. Good or bad?

I'm getting a smarter switch/router so I can disable Samsung's spy port that's opened on my TV/

Should I use a router and always connect with an anonymous VPN to everything? Sometimes the anonymous VPN doesn't work. One reason why is too many people connect to some website from the anonymous VPN.

Now, supposedly, you can run a VPN at home, so that a hotspot that generally only allows http, can connect o to anything. You connect at home to a VPN that has a dynamic DNS. All calls there are http and therfore allowed by the hotspot, so now the http hotspot can support any port.

Cameras are cheap and sometimes I wish I had one or two on the house: 1) Where are the missing newspapers going; 2) Who cut a tree branch (I know who - just couldn't prove it and he's dead now) or 3) Who dumped their grass in my leaf pile? it's probably the same person that throws the dog poop and Apple cores in the neighbor's yard.

 

[bryan1]

Well here in Australia ther are saying with nbn it will be compulsory to join and your landline is going to be cut off. So over here with metadata being kept for 2 years for sure the clueless govt's of this day want to screw the people and have found away to use online data against the average Joe.

This surveillance of the mass's is kin to what we have seen in history and I won't say any names, people are like sheep when it comes times to vote and only have themselves to blame. Got an old Pentium puter running a linux firewall and it is interesting to look at the daily intrusions of the govt that come in and don't go back.

The internet is about to be gone as we know it or the alternative just install the TOR

 

[ronsimpson]

On face book & Google, when I use key words, my adds respond. It is good & bad to have the advertisements tuned to things I talked about. I never have advertisements for baby bottles. I get lots of offers for internet cameras.

Soon, my internet provider, cell phone provider and anyone can put my information out there for money. So not only Google searches but normal traffic can be sold. Now my email will be full of advertisements about anything that crosses my network.
Problem 1)
For $0.10 I can find out how much porn any one with the name of Mile living at code 86334 is watching.
Problem 2)
For this my government representative probably received $20,000.00 to vote yes. That is not right. EDITED...He did not represent me but his pocket EDITED