The House of Representatives voted Tuesday to overturn broadband privacy rules established five months ago by the Federal Communications Commission.
After the 215-205 vote, a measure repealing the rules passed by the FCC on Oct. 27 will go to President Trump, who is expected to approve the measure. The FCC, then chaired by Democrat Tom Wheeler, passed those rules to require Internet Service Providers to ask customers' permission to collect, use and sell personal information.
But ISPs, free market supporters – and Republicans – say that the current case-by-case enforcement regimen is better than the uneven regulatory created by the FCC's move, enacted just days before Trump's election.
"I want the American people to know that the FCC will work with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) to ensure that consumers’ online privacy is protected though a consistent and comprehensive framework," said current FCC Chairman Ajit Pai in a statement after the vote. "In my view, the best way to achieve that result would be to return jurisdiction over broadband providers’ privacy practices to the FTC, with its decades of experience and expertise in this area."
