Associations representing internet service providers have asked the FCC to halt what they say are unnecessarily restrictive broadband privacy rules adopted under former Chairman Tom Wheeler. Twenty-two entities filed a stay, including telecom associations CTIA, CCA, USTelecom, NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association and WTA – Advocates for Rural Broadband in addition to cable and internet associations. They’re asking the FCC to pause enforcing the rules while the agency resolves multiple pending motions for their reconsideration.
“We support a regulatory regime that reflects these principles and provides a uniform privacy and data security framework for all. Unfortunately, the FCC has adopted an uneven regulatory regime that picks winners and losers and that will confuse consumers who quite reasonably expect all companies to be governed by the same set of rules,” said CTIA SVP/General Counsel Tom Power. “Investment in next-generation 5G services requires more regulatory clarity on broadband privacy, not less – a grant of this petition would be an important initial step in the right direction and allow time for careful review by both Congress and the FCC.”
The groups released principles that reiterate ISPs commitment to protecting consumers’ online privacy when there’s a data breach. ISPs say they’ve protected their customers’ data with pro-consumer policies for 20-some years and know the success of any digital business depends on earning their customers’ trust on privacy. In addition to the associations, several telecoms adhering to the principles include AT&T, Citizens Telephone and Cablevision, Dickey Rural Networks, Inland Telephone Company d/b/a Inland Networks, ITTA – The Voice of Mid-Sized Communications Companies, Northeast Louisiana Telephone Co., Inc. (NortheastTel), SCTelcom, T-Mobile, Verizon and Wheat State Telephone, Inc.
“Our filing simply asks the FCC to return to the FTC’s time-tested privacy framework that provides transparency, consumer choice and data security assurances,” said USTelecom SVP Law & Policy Jon Banks. “We hope the FCC acts quickly so that consumers have a single framework for privacy and innovation across the internet.”
At the time, Commissioner Ajit Pai disagreed with his colleagues when they voted for the rules, saying they’d “lead to consumer confusion about which online companies can and cannot use their data.”
January 31, 2017
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