Some Things You Should Know About the FCC’s Proposed Privacy Rules

Last week, the Federal Communications Commission proposed new privacy rules for Internet providers. The proposal was immediately praised by privacy advocates as “a major step forward” and lambasted by AT&T as an effort to place a “thumb on the scale in favor of Internet companies.”

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler stopped by our offices to explain the proposal, which will be voted on by the commission later this year after a period of public comment. Here is what you need to know about the proposed rules.

As encryption becomes more common, that loophole will get smaller. But regardless of whether Internet traffic is encrypted, Wheeler said that it is important to protect information about what websites a person visits.

“I might be getting encrypted data,” he said, “but if I visit a cancer center, just the fact that I’m going to the cancer center is of interest to an insurance company.”

Original Article
Source: truthdig.com/
Author:  Julia Angwin