FBI Director James Comey said, “There is no longer absolute privacy in the United States.” In the age of information everything you say do, write or watch on television is recorded somewhere. And now Congress is letting your internet service provider sell your personal data including your internet activity.
On Friday, the Senate blocked the implementation Obama administration rules stopping internet service providers like Comcast, AT&T and Verizon from selling customers internet browsing history and other data. The rule itself was scheduled to go into effect next year. It would have been a significant wall to ISP’s efforts to sell your personal data and combine that data with your other services to target advertising at you.
Many people fail to realize, or have become accustomed, to the level of tracking that is done by major corporations. For example Facebook tracks everything users do on their website and beyond, everything! And so do many other social media sites. This move lets ISP ‘s do the same.
But ISP’s have a bit of an advantage over sites like Facebook. For example many ISP’s offer bundled services. You can get television, internet, telephone and even cell phone service and home security in one package and one price. This basically allows them to create a profile of not only what you watch on television, but who you call or calls you, your emails, your web searches, online activity and your mobile activity on your smartphone.
If you use Verizon your profile just expanded significantly. The Senate vote cleared the way for Verizon to link up all its databases. These databases contain customer information from AOL which Verizon purchased in 2015 for $4 billion. Soon that database will get even bigger if the sale of Yahoo! to Verizon goes through.
Since the election of Donald Trump Republicans have worked to undo regulations imposed under President Barack Obama. All 50 Republicans voted in favor of killing the rule while 46 Democrats and two independents voted against.
Republicans who voted to kill the Federal Communications Commission rule believe it would create more fair competition between internet service providers and giant data collectors like Facebook, Google and Twitter who harvest untold amounts of personal data and use it for targeted advertising.
Democrats see the decision a little differently and believe that consumer’s right to privacy is being taken away.
Sen. Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat, said, “We are talking about taking privacy rights away from individuals if we suddenly eliminate this rule. This is a gold mine of data, the Holy Grail, so to speak.” Nelson continued, “It is no wonder that broadband providers want to be able to sell this information to the highest bidder without the consumer’s knowledge or consent.”
Massachusetts Democrat Edward Markey added , “The Republican war on the free and open internet has arrived. Markey went on to say that every American “should be alarmed” by the elimination of consumer privacy protections.
The regulation now must pass the Republican controlled house which is highy likely. President Trump is expected to sign the bill.
As a result ISP’s would be free to gather whatever information they want including location, financial data, and health information, and web browsing activity for sale to the highest bidder. Consumers would not have the choice to opt out.
The regulation rollback basically kills all consmer options when it comes to their personal data. This includes requirements that ISPs notify consumers of any data breach, requirements that the ISP inform customers that their data is being collected and what is done with it and permits ISP’s to offer “take-it-or-leave-it” sales pitches that don’t allow customers to opt out.
Breaking It Down
This is another intrusion into your private affairs. Whatever you do from now on on your home computer is open for collection and recording. In reality this is not really some thing new. These companies have been doing this all along. But the rule to stop this has been effectively eliminated. Lobbyist have won another battle to rip away anything even close to being private. Which means that you have lost more of your 4th Amendment rights and probably all of them. Remember the 4th Amendment protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. But that does not apply to corporations. Here is where you really lose your rights. What does a cop need with a search warrant when he can just buy any information he needs from your ISP? Let me give you an example; Xfinity offers a home security service connected to your Internet service. If a cop wants to know what time you departed or arrived at home he can just buy the data from company. By the way your Alexa is listening to your every word you say. What if the cop wants to buy that information as well? Or maybe any conversation that is overheard by your smart television. As you see there more to the corporations buying and selling your information than meets the eye. Because in the age of information the cops don’t need a search warrant just a budget to buy any information they want or need.
