Public interest groups oppose extension for FCC privacy rules

Consumer groups are trying to keep the process of creating new Federal Communications Commission privacy rules for broadband providers on track.

Ten public interest groups on Thursday opposed a request from the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) for a 60-day extension on the public comment period on draft privacy rules for providers like Comcast and Verizon.

{mosads}The groups say that, given that that rules have been expected for more than a year, it is not reasonable for outside groups to need more time than is currently allotted for comments.

“The Open Internet Order gave a clear indication that the FCC would engage in this rulemaking and therefore interested parties should begin thinking about the issue,” the groups said. “In addition, the public has long had notice of many of the questions the FCC would attempt to address in this proceeding because of the extensive interactions between the FCC, regulated entities, and the public.

“Thus, these are not new issues to ANA or the public.”

The signatories, which include privacy groups like Access Now, Free Press and Public Knowledge, said that in “order to protect consumers without undue delay, the FCC should decide it as quickly as possible.”

Their comments come as wrangling continues over the draft rules, which would dictate when users would be required to consent to having their data used by their internet service provider. Many industry groups would prefer the FCC simply hew its new rules, which were triggered by its net neutrality decision last year, to the more nebulous “unfair and deceptive practices” standard used by the Federal Trade Commission.

The ANA requested earlier this month that the comment period on the privacy item be extended by 60 days, which would bring it to late July. It says that an extension would allow for appropriately thoughtful commentary from business groups.

“This proposal would create the most restrictive privacy regime in this country except for sensitive areas such as health and financial data,” said Dan Jaffe, the group’s executive vice president for government relations. “In fact, it would cover a much wider range of data as well. It therefore deserves the most careful analysis and input to the FCC from the business community with adequate time for full consideration of all of the implications of this proposal.”