Losing the ISP privacy fight is only the beginning

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The House of Representatives joined the Senate in a joint resolution to repeal the Federal Communications Commission’s recent privacy rules, leaving only President Donald Trump’s signature before the rules are officially revoked. But while the immediate impact of the joint resolution may be hard to see, it paves the way for a much larger shift in FCC enforcement and, ultimately, the structure of the web itself.

For decades, one of the basic principles of the internet has been that it’s the same no matter where you’re logging on. Now, carriers are getting the chance to tie your online activities closer to your real identity, drawing on the name and address you gave when you signed up for service. Under Chairman Ajit Pai, the FCC seems to have little interest in holding them back. That could have a profound impact on the nature of the web — and after today’s joint resolution, there may be no going back.


Losing the ISP privacy fight is only the beginning