Comcast Says FCC has no Authority to Prohibit Pay-for-Privacy Model by ISPs

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Comcast Says FCC has no Authority to Prohibit Pay-for-Privacy Model by ISPs

By CircleID Reporter
August 03, 2016, 8:17 pm PDT Views: 5,421 Add Comment

Amidst debates concerning privacy rules for ISPs, Comcast in an FCC filing on Monday has urged the Commission to not interfere with business models offering discounts or other value to consumers in exchange for allowing ISPs to use their data. “FCC has no authority to prohibit or limit these types of programs.”

— Also noted in Comcast filing: “A bargained-for exchange of information for service is a perfectly acceptable and widely used model throughout the U.S. economy, including the Internet ecosystem, and is consistent with decades of legal precedent and policy goals related to consumer protection and privacy.”

— “Pay-for-Privacy Schemes Put the Most Vulnerable Americans at Risk,” Freepress / May 10: “The potential harms and discriminatory implications of this practice are obvious. It could mean that only people with the necessary financial means could protect their privacy and prevent their ISPs from sharing their personal information with predatory online marketers.”

— Further more, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders in a poignant letter last month wrote to FCC warning against ISPs and cable companies treating privacy as a luxury consumer option. “Consumers should not have to pay an ISP and additional amount in order to protect their privacy.”

By CircleID Reporter

CircleID’s internal staff reporting on news tips and developing stories. Do you have information the professional Internet community should be aware of? Contact us.

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