Top Dem pushes for FCC privacy rules

The top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee pushed the Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday to approve strict privacy rules for internet service providers.

“To fully answer the public’s call and maximize the economic power of the internet, the two agencies must do all they can to protect consumers by using the tools that they have today,” said Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.), the ranking member of the committee, in an op-ed for by the Huffington Post.

{mosads}“That means the FCC must act now to finalize strong, new privacy rules.”

His comments come amid reports that the commission is planning to change a proposal requiring internet service providers to get consent from their customers to use their data in most cases.

That proposal, from FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, has been met with criticism from industry groups. They say they would like the agency to more closely follow the less-strict standard used by the Federal Trade Commission to police data privacy.

The FCC’s reported new approach would see them align more closely with those rules and meet some of the industry’s concerns. Some critics of the plan have recently suggested that the FCC only apply its rules to more sensitive types of data.

That group grew to include Google on Monday — a boost for opponents of the proposal.

“This Commission should reflect in any new privacy rules for Internet service providers the same balance that the FTC successfully strikes in its framework,” the company said in a letter to the commission.

“The FCC should not attempt to draw a categorical distinction between web browsing information and other information—particularly where such a novel and untested approach would unnecessarily increase regulatory burdens on the Internet.”

FCC proposals are frequently in flux until the moment they are voted on. The next open meeting, where commissioners could approve the proposed rules, is this month.