Democratic Senators Blumenthal, Udall introduce comprehensive online privacy bill

Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Tom Udall (D-NM) introduced legislation to protect consumer online privacy across the Internet. The Managing Your Data Against Telecom Abuses (MY DATA) Act would give the Federal Trade Commission jurisdiction to regulate broadband providers and edge providers, a policy change that would allow uniform privacy protection across the Internet ecosystem, from broadband providers to websites.

“In the 21st century, Internet access is a basic necessity. And signing up for a basic necessity should never mean you have to sign away your rights to privacy,” Senator Blumenthal said. “But Republican lawmakers have given broadband providers a green light to sell your sensitive personal information to the highest bidder. My bill makes sure the FTC has the authority it needs to restore consumer control and allow individuals to use the Internet without fear of invasive and intrusive practices that turn our private lives into yet another commodity on the open market.”

The Communications Workers of America urged comprehensive online privacy protections in a letter last week and Republicans rolled back the FCC’s ISP privacy rules. “The public outcry against congressional repeal of the Federal Communications Commission’s broadband privacy rules demonstrates strong bipartisan support for government action to protect consumers’ privacy online,” CWA wrote, adding that true consumer protection would require rules applying to ISPs as well as data-mining companies like Google and Facebook, which make billions of dollars off their users’ personal information and data.

Links:

“MY DATA” bill (US Senate, Apr. 27, 2017)

Blumenthal, Udall Introduce "MY DATA" Bill to Defend Online Privacy (US Senate, Apr. 27, 2017)

CWA urges comprehensive online privacy protections (Apr. 21, 2017)

Here’s why Google fights so hard to get your data (Speed Matters, Nov. 7, 2016)