FCC to Vote on Rules to Protect Broadband Customers’ Privacy

Item on Oct. 27 Open Meeting Agenda

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler this week began circulating his proposed order for new privacy protection rules for broadband consumers. The FCC fact sheet indicates that the FCC intends to adopt many of the proposed rules introduced in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking released in March (See JSI’s March 11 e-Lert). The Commission is scheduled to vote on the proposed rules at its October 27 Open Meeting.

The proposed rules are intended to give consumers the tools they need to choose how their Internet Service Provider (ISP) uses and shares customers’ personal data. The rules would require ISPs to provide privacy notices and a persistent method by which customers can give or withdraw consent to use their proprietary information. ISPs would be allowed, however, to share information without seeking consent from the customer by “de-identifying” the information. This would involve altering the data so that it is no longer associated with individual customers or devices. The proposed order also provides guidelines that ISPs should follow to develop reasonable data security practices.

JSI will provide more information on the new rules once the text of the order is released. For more information about the proposed rules, please contact one of our experts by clicking the button below.

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