Published: March 2016

FCC needs to fill ‘void’ in consumer privacy protection

In a letter to the Federal Communications Commission, consumer and privacy groups urged the FCC to protect consumers and succeed where other regulators have failed as the agency weighs broadband privacy rulemaking. The letter warns that under current rules, companies are leveraging customer data without proper oversight.

Consumer Action and coalition advocates warn the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that the lack of broad privacy legislation or a privacy protection agency in the U.S. means that there are very few legal constraints on business practices that impact the privacy of American consumers.

Verizon, Comcast and Cox Communications are just a few companies that use targeted consumer data to monetize customer information and leverage their position as Internet gatekeepers to harness consumer data in powerful and invasive ways.

The Federal Trade Commission only focuses on “notice and choice,” which fails to protect consumers, given that most people do not read privacy policies. The practices of the aforementioned companies, and many others, prove the FCC must exercise the full extent of its rulemaking authority to protect consumer privacy.

Lead Organization

Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC)

Other Organizations

American Civil Liberties Union | Center for Digital Democracy | Common Sense Kids Action | Consumer Action | Consumer Federation of America | Consumer Federation of California | Consumer Watchdog | 
Electronic Privacy Information Center | Free Press | New America’s Open Technology Institute | Privacy Rights Clearinghouse | 
Public Knowledge

More Information

For more information, please visit EPIC's website.

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