The Trump administration is getting closer than ever to allowing companies to sell your personal information -- and letting them make a nice profit while doing so.
On March 7, Senator Jeff Flake and 22 co-sponsors introduced Special Joint Resolution 34 (S.J.Res 34), which would revoke privacy protections and allow telecoms to sell your internet history. A House version of the bill was presented a day later (H.J.Res 86).
These bills are toxic to Americans. If passed, information about you and your family could be treated like a commodity. Letting your House Representative and Senators know to vote against H.J.Res 86 and S.J.Res 34, respectively, might be the only chance to keep your personal internet history private.
Let your representatives know you value your privacy -- and it’s not to be turned into profits.
Last year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released new rules designed to protect internet users from their service providers. These new legislations introduced in Congress strips that away, leaving your information and your privacy available to the highest bidder.
This lack of care for American people is reason for alarm. As Senator Ed Markey wrote: “Consumers will have no ability to stop Internet service providers from invading their privacy and selling sensitive information about their health, finances, and children to advertisers, insurers, data brokers or others who can profit off of this personal information, all without their affirmative consent.”
Even worse -- they’re trying to make it permanent. Passing a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to repeal these FCC rules would effectively ban the writing of new privacy rules.
Don’t let your representatives misrepresent you. Hold them accountable for their actions and let them know you don’t support the sale of your personal information.
More information
Privacy News Online. 14 March 2017.
Privacy News Online. 7 March 2017.