NCTA Pans 'Asymmetric' Broadband Privacy Proposal

"Consumers’ private personal information should receive consistent protection across the broadband ecosystem," the National Cable & Telecommunications Association told the Federal Communications Commission, which means the commission should have harmonized its broadband privacy proposal with the Federal Trade Commission's approach. The NCTA urged the FCC not to impose asymmetric and prescriptive new rules that will likely lead to a "tedious, frustrating experience marred by frequent disruptions."

In comments on the FCC's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, NCTA said that the FCC has instead proposed an "asymmetric" framework, which means that Internet service providers are "singled out" for new regulatory "burdens" while edge providers remain under the more flexible FTC approach. "This regulatory imbalance will lead to significant consumer confusion, upset common and settled Internet practices, inhibit competition, stifle innovation, and reduce consumer welfare. And it will do nothing to increase the privacy of consumer data, since the same data that ISPs will be constrained from using is accessible to and used by numerous other broadband entities subject to far less stringent restrictions."