FCC Internet Privacy Reg canceled- good or bad?

[oohrah]

I need some argument ammunition apparently.

Would someone please tell me the conservative reason why this is a bad reg? On the surface it looks like a good thing for individual privacy rights.

And the fact that it was "an Obama reg" is not sufficient justification.

[george72]

I run an ISP. Removing this regulation is bad for consumers. The only reason the big ISPs like AT&T pushed for this is because they want to make more money by selling your browsing habits to marketing companies. An ISP should act like a utility and make money off the service that the customer is buying, the customer activity and data should NOT, in my opinion, become a product that is sold.

When using the Internet at home you now need to use a trusted VPN provider as your home Internet connection privacy is no longer guaranteed.

[LucasMcCain]

Basically anything and everything you do through your internet connection is now a commodity that can be bought and sold without your consent.

Is that an accurate statement, george72? This is my understanding of it, but I am by no means knowledgeable in this area. I'm personally horrified that this passed congress. If you needed proof that legislation can be bought, this would certainly seem to be it.

[apostate]

My understanding is the rules had not gone into effect yet, so a repeal leaves us with the status quo.

Not saying that's good or bad as I don't have enough detail on the regs or their Constitutional authority.

[RottenApple]

Just one more thing government doesn't need to be involved in. It's not the government's job to secure our privacy. It's our own responsibility. And we have plenty of tools to do so.

[rotor]

Just one more thing government doesn't need to be involved in. It's not the government's job to secure our privacy. It's our own responsibility. And we have plenty of tools to do so.

The government can't keep anything we do privately now. But except for VPN and encrypted email what other tools do we have to secure our internet privacy?

[bblhd672]

Recommend a good VPN service?

[steveincowtown]

I guess the government felt like since they have unfettered access to all our information, why shouldn't everyone else.


I have my own VPN set up reasons involving full internet access to the sites of my choosing while abroad.

[clarionite]

I'm not understanding how a VPN would secure our privacy? I run a VPN tunnel to my office network now. You still need an ISP to reach out to the rest of the world, and that's the point that would be selling your activity. I'm not happy about this. I don't see it any differently than someone being able to buy my activity from the electric company. Imagine crooks being able to purchase your history of usage. Knowing when you're home and when you're not based on how much electricity you use, Then shopping at your house while you're gone.

[bblhd672]

I'm not understanding how a VPN would secure our privacy? I run a VPN tunnel to my office network now. You still need an ISP to reach out to the rest of the world, and that's the point that would be selling your activity. I'm not happy about this. I don't see it any differently than someone being able to buy my activity from the electric company. Imagine crooks being able to purchase your history of usage. Knowing when you're home and when you're not based on how much electricity you use, Then shopping at your house while you're gone.

The only activity your ISP would see is the connection to your VPN provider.

[stroo]

There are a couple of problems with the FCC order.

First, the FCC claimed to have jurisdiction over the internet, i.e. the right to regulate the internet. To have such jurisdiction, Congress would have needed to enact a law giving the FCC jurisdiction. Congress never did this. So this was a huge power grab by the FCC which would have led to increased regulation of the internet. A conservative certainly should not want or like this kind of power grab.

Second, all or almost all of the major ISPs, I used to work for one and worked on this issue, provide you a means to tell them that you don't want your information used. This is called opt out. The FCC order required that you give the ISP permission to use your information, opt in. The ISPs didn't like this because almost nobody opts out, but conversely almost no one opts in.

Third, while the reg would have applied to ISPs like AT&T, Verizon and the cable companies, I don't believe it would have applied to Google, Facebook, Amazon or other social media or online sales sites. Google, Facebook, etc. have far more information about you than do any or even all of the ISPs. The probably know more about you than even the NSA does.

So the rule was a massive power grab by the FCC while it really didn't impact the companies that really have, are using and are selling your information.

[JustSomeOldGuy]

OK, from another point of view....

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/6039 ... t-all-bad/

[Superman]

There are a couple of problems with the FCC order.

First, the FCC claimed to have jurisdiction over the internet, i.e. the right to regulate the internet. To have such jurisdiction, Congress would have needed to enact a law giving the FCC jurisdiction. Congress never did this. So this was a huge power grab by the FCC which would have led to increased regulation of the internet. A conservative certainly should not want or like this kind of power grab.

Second, all or almost all of the major ISPs, I used to work for one and worked on this issue, provide you a means to tell them that you don't want your information used. This is called opt out. The FCC order required that you give the ISP permission to use your information, opt in. The ISPs didn't like this because almost nobody opts out, but conversely almost no one opts in.

Third, while the reg would have applied to ISPs like AT&T, Verizon and the cable companies, I don't believe it would have applied to Google, Facebook, Amazon or other social media or online sales sites. Google, Facebook, etc. have far more information about you than do any or even all of the ISPs. The probably know more about you than even the NSA does.

So the rule was a massive power grab by the FCC while it really didn't impact the companies that really have, are using and are selling your information.

^^^What he said...also: https://cei.org/blog/six-reasons-fcc-ru ... ct-privacy

[RottenApple]

Recommend a good VPN service?

I use PureVPN. I have a 2 year license, they've got servers all over the world, and, TBH, it's been excellent.

[RottenApple]

The government can't keep anything we do privately now. But except for VPN and encrypted email what other tools do we have to secure our internet privacy?

Those are exactly the tools that I mean. There's plenty of choice in VPN and email encryption options.