The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission is trying to block a privacy rule which would protect your internet data.
The FCC ruled last year that internet service providers (ISPs) would be required to adopt “reasonable” security measures to protect their customers’ data by March 2. Now Pai is seeking a stay on that rule.
One of the security measures companies will no longer have to abide by is getting consumer consent before sharing sensitive information. According to TechCrunch, the information includes browsing history, children’s information, location, and Social Security numbers.
In a statement, a spokesman says Chairman Pai requested the stay because he wants the FCC and the Federal Trade Commission to treat all online entities the same way:
All actors in the online space should be subject to the same rules, and the federal government shouldn’t favor one set of companies over another.Therefore, he has advocated returning to a technology-neutral privacy framework for the online world and harmonizing the FCC’s privacy rules for broadband providers with the FTC’s standards for others in the digital economy.
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Ajit Pai has been open about his opposition to net neutrality since his appointment by Donald Trump in January. Whether this is part of a larger push to roll back legislation protecting said neutrality remains to be seen.
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