Senate votes to undo internet privacy rules

Senate lawmakers voted Thursday to repeal a historic set of rules aimed at protecting consumers’ online data from their own internet providers.

The rules, which prohibit providers from abusing the data they gather on their customers as they browse the Web on cellphones and computers, were approved last year over objections from Republicans who argued the regulations went too far.

Now, a joint resolution from Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., seeks to roll back the Federal Communications Commission’s privacy rules, preventing them from going into effect and barring the FCC from ever enacting similar consumer protections.

U.S. senators voted by a 50-48 margin to approve Flake’s resolution. It now heads to the House.

Industry groups welcomed the vote.

“Our industry remains committed to offering services that protect the privacy and security of the personal information of our customers,” said NCTA - The Internet and Television Association, a trade group representing major cable providers. “We support this step towards reversing the FCC’s misguided approach and look forward to restoring a consistent approach to online privacy protection that consumers want and deserve.”

The FCC’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.