FCC offers hope for consumers' seeking online privacy protections

[Commentary] The Federal Communications Commission is considering new rules that would restrict how broadband service providers -- companies like Comcast, AT&T and Verizon -- can use the data they collect on our internet habits. The rules would give consumers a better idea of what data's being collected by those companies and more control over how it's being used. The rules aren't perfect. For one thing, they probably need to go further than proposed to bar some particularly pernicious practices. For another, they wouldn't do a thing to restrict the kind of data collection being done by the Facebooks and Googles of the world. But they represent an important first step in rebalancing the privacy equation.

It would be great if Congress would pass a general privacy law that would cover online companies as well as broadband providers. But until it does, any step toward protecting consumers' online privacy is better than none at all.