Internet Privacy at Stake Once Again

The Senate voted to repel a set of laws that prevents internet providers from collecting and abusing users' data and selling or sharing said data with advertising companies.

Full Story Here.

I know this won't fix everything, but I'm turning my vpn on and leaving it on.

Privacy seems to be precious.

Politicians disgust me...........particularly Republicans that ONLY care about big business.

Wow. I love the way the lobbyists in the article try to spin this ruling.

The agency's rules are being debated as Internet providers — no longer satisfied with simply offering Web access — race to become online advertising giants as large as Google and Facebook. To deliver consumers from one website to another, Internet providers must see and understand which online destinations their customers wish to visit, whether that's Netflix, WebMD or PornHub.

With that data, Internet providers would like to sell targeted advertising or even share that information with third-party marketers. But the FCC's regulations place certain limits on the type of data Internet providers can share and under what circumstances. Under the rules, consumers may forbid their providers from sharing what the FCC deems “sensitive” information, such as app usage history and mobile location data.

Freaking terrifying.

And I wonder what constitutes "senstive" information? And what about our personal computers? I see a lot of emphasis on mobile devices, but not a whole lot on PCs which is what really concerns me because 95% of my personal entertainment is my PC, and a good chunk of that is probably sourced through the internet.

I already get ads on my browser, have to watch ads on youtube, I still get crap in my mailbox, Netflix charges me money, Hulu charges me money and I still have to watch ads with them...WHY DO THEY NEED MORE!?!?!

How about instead of fighting dirty, these companies try to inovate?

Or better yet, maybe the government can just make the internet a utility, cheapen the price and widen it's availability to pretty much everyone, and then these mother fuckers will go out of business! PROBLEM SOLVED!

Oh yeah I heard about that.

Did you know that your VHS rental history is protected by law? Not your browsing history though.....

You know why your VHS rental history is protected? Because someone leaked a congressman's VHS rental history and there was probably some porn in there or something.

So what should we do? Figure out how to leak a congressman's browsing history I guess... Then they will just make a law protecting it.

I don't know if it would work, but that's definitely an idea.

@Serraph105: ...yeah it was a half-joke.....

It just shows you how the people that are supposed to represent us really only look out for themselves. Seem like if we want protection and privacy we need to trick the lawmakers into thinking they are doing something good for themselves and their friends with big pockets.

I can only see this getting worse.....

on that note does anyone have a vpn that they recommend?

I don't have loads of experience with various VPNs, but Windscribe is good. I've seen good deals for it for a lifetime subscription, and I got mine for $40 off stacksocial. Unfortunately, I'm currently only seeing it for $150.

Don't worry guys, Trump represents the working man, not the elitist like Killary! I know because N64DD and SolarYellow say so and they're smart!

lololololololololololol

We have never had privacy on the internet. God you people are gullible.

why are republicans always so...anti people?

Hey! Corporations are people, too!

Why are liberals so gullible and poor?

1. I'm not liberal. So you just deflected with an off-topic reply.

2. Red counties and states have lower GDP and income.

And they just elected the modern king of misinformation, Donald Trump. But I suspect he knows that he's standing on sand with this argument.

You didn't vote for trump, so you're a liberal.

Well there it goes, privacy rules official rolled back.

Full story here.

This is winning?

So why is this a good thing? Seriously Trumpettes, I'm waiting.

Because helping the rich get richer is kinda their thing.

It's never been like that, so what are you expecting?

Yet, there were just laws that prevented personal data from sold by internet providers to advertisement companies. So things up until now hadn't always been like this.

He's just making excuses for the mistake he voted in.....

Here's the full list of people in congress who voted for this. I'm noticing a complete lack of demoRATS on board with this.

https://www.theverge.com/2017/3/29/15100620/congress-fcc-isp-web-browsing-privacy-fire-sale

Hey look, my congresswoman is on that list!

Time to vote her out!

Those laws were ignored and laughable.

this is a good start.

i can't wait until my utility company lobbies ( pays ) for the right to install monitors on all of my electric appliances, electronics, etc.. so that it can understand better how i use them and sell that information to targeted advertisers.

ISPs are the conduit not the service that runs though it. if they wanted to be fucking google or facebook so they can profit off the data in the pipes, they should have to cease owning the pipes.