SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
from the How-much-does-a-politician's-browsing-history-cost? dept.
Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:
Back in 2014 over 3 million Internet users told the U.S. government loudly and clearly: we value our online security, we value our online privacy, and we value net neutrality. Our voices helped convince the FCC to enact smart net neutrality regulations—including long-needed privacy rules.
But it appears some members of Congress didn't get the message, because they're trying to roll back the FCC's privacy rules right now without having anything concrete ready to replace them. We're talking here about basic requirements, like getting your explicit consent before using your private information to do anything other than provide you with Internet access (such as targeted advertising). Â Given how much private information your ISP has about you, strict limits on what they do with it are essential.
[...] Late last year, the FCC passed rules that would require ISPs to protect your private information. It covered the things you would usually associate with having an account with a major company (your name and address, financial information, etc.) but also things like any records they keep on your browsing history, geolocation information (think cell phones), and the content of your communications. Overall, the rules were pretty darn good.
But now, Senator Flake (R-AZ) and Representative Blackburn (R-TN) want to use a tool known as a Congressional Review Act [CRA] resolution to totally repeal those protections. The CRA allows Congress to veto any regulation written by a federal agency (like the FCC). Worse yet, it forbids the agency from passing any "substantially similar" regulations in the future, so the FCC would be forbidden from ever trying to regulate ISP privacy practices. At the same time, some courts have limited the Federal Trade Commission's ability protect your privacy, too.
With the hands of two federal agencies tied, ISPs themselves would be largely in change of protecting their customer's privacy. In other words, the fox will be guarding the henhouse.
[...] So please, take action and call your senator and representative today, and tell them not to use the CRA to repeal the FCC's privacy rules.
A story on Ars Technica notes:
As expected, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and 23[sic] Republican co-sponsors introduced the resolution yesterday. The measure would use lawmakers' power under the Congressional Review Act [CRA] to ensure that the FCC rulemaking "shall have no force or effect." The resolution would also prevent the FCC from issuing similar regulations in the future.
Flake's announcement said he's trying to "protect consumers from overreaching Internet regulation." Flake also said that the resolution "empowers consumers to make informed choices on if and how their data can be shared," but he did not explain how it will achieve that.
Flake called the FCC's privacy rulemaking "midnight regulation," even though it was approved by the commission in October 2016, before the presidential election, after a months-long rulemaking process.
"The FCC's midnight regulation does nothing to protect consumer privacy," Flake said. "It is unnecessary, confusing, and adds yet another innovation-stifling regulation to the Internet." Flake's announcement also said that the FCC-imposed "restrictions have the potential to negatively impact consumers and the future of Internet innovation."
[...] Flake's co-sponsors are US Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Shelly Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Dean Heller (R-Nev.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Dan Sullivan (R-Ark.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.)[sic], and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.).
Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) offered similar criticism. "Big broadband barons and their Republican allies want to turn the telecommunications marketplace into a Wild West where consumers are held captive with no defense against abusive invasions of their privacy by internet service providers," Markey said. "Consumers will have no ability to stop Internet service providers from invading their privacy and selling sensitive information about their health, finances, and children to advertisers, insurers, data brokers or others who can profit off of this personal information, all without their affirmative consent."
[Update: As pointed out by reader tangomargarine, Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) is listed twice in the list taken from Ars Technica. Reviewing the proposed resolution reveals Sen. Flake and 21 (not 23) co-signers. Further, Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) is listed by Ars as being a signer, but his name is not listed on the resolution. --martyb]
-- submitted from IRC
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Lagg on Friday March 10 2017, @05:35PM (2 children)
I wonder how long it'll take for us to fuck off and stop thinking that trying to deal with these people like a normal human is going to work. I've tried time and again to talk to these people and it usually just ends with a spam list subscription. I've been trying for 8 years in Arizona. They don't even try to create a pretense for not listening to you. The reaction of their offices tells you pretty much all you need to know about how you are perceived. Be it a democrat or republican rep. They look at you like trash that doesn't belong in the same america they do. All it does is make you feel less guilty for allowing your country to sink lower - ala twitter. And gives the rep's office more ammo to see you as a parasite of society. Flaming liberal, bigoted hick, whatever the cult-leader approved label may be.
If you want them to actually function in their purpose. Force them to through public humiliation, legal action or if you are the means-justify-ends type. Try contributing to a bribe fund- I mean PAC. Find public contradictions and never let them hear the end of it. Submit ethical breaches to EFF and ACLU. They're either going to help based on self-interest or the consequences of allowing a bill to pass hurting that self-interest. Thinking that any rep cares for their state's input on a personal or objective level is just ever so slightly naive isn't it?
Of course, maybe I just think this way because I tried so long to follow this stupid recommendation of contacting reps. Maybe their ability to callously ignore or speak down to people got to me and I'm playing into their hands. Sufficed to say though. There's a reason we are a contributor to the opioid pandemic but not slowing down usage or distribution. In fact making it harder to seek alternative treatment. If a rep is capable of allowing torture (opioid withdrawal is torture by any definition, trust me) under this utterly retarded pretense of "being tough on drugs" - you really think they'll care about the "basement people" (paraphrasing actual quote) that just want a fucking phat pipe to use without surveillance baggage?
http://lagg.me [lagg.me] 🗿
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Phoenix666 on Friday March 10 2017, @06:31PM
That stuff doesn't work because it's ignorable. If you want to effectively get their attention, pierce the bubble they surround themselves with. You don't need a lot of people to do it. Maybe 2-3 friends for a half hour. Physically go into their office and demand a meeting. (They usually have several offices in their district so they can give sweetheart jobs to the friends and children of their top supporters.) Chances are they won't be there, or won't meet with you even if they are, and some lackey will come running up, promising to find a spot on the rep's schedule if you'll just come back later. They might write down a note and promise to get it to the rep ASAP. Promise that if you don't get an answer, you'll be out singing it to people in the district. Then do it--go to a popular local supermarket and hand out flyers for half an hour with the rep's email and phone prominently featured, and 1-2 sentences on why people should call them.
Another tactic is to find out where the rep's house is, and picket there or try to buttonhole them when they come out to go to work in the morning.
For extra effect, see if you have another 2-3 friends/neighbors who can do the same thing again 2 days after you did. And try hard to get local reporters there, to amplify the message.
The townhall stuff used to be another good opportunity, but most reps are avoiding those now.
But the point is to convey the impression that the peasants are angry, that they have their torches and pitchforks ready, and that they better fucking move or their heads will be on pikes by morning.
Under those circumstances, democratically elected representatives can be delightfully responsive to constituents.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 11 2017, @02:38AM
Last time I contacted my senator over something I cared about, I got a form letter back reassuring me whatever their position, will be in the public's best interests. Translates to they will vote right with whoever owns them. These days that will be the most evil mega corporations on earth.