The US House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to repeal an Obama-era law that demanded ISPs have permission to share personal information – including location data. This means that US internet providers will no longer need consent from users to share their browsing history with private companies in the market.
Supporters of the move said it would increase competition, but critics said it would have a “chilling effect” on online privacy.
President Donald Trump is expected to sign the order soon.
The repeal was strongly backed by major providers such as Verizon, AT&T and Comcast, who argued that ISPs were being subject to stricter privacy laws than companies like Google or Facebook. Groups advocating internet rights expressed their anger. “Today Congress proved once again that they care more about the wishes of the corporations that fund their campaigns than they do about the safety and security of their constituents,” said Evan Greer, campaign director from rights group Fight for the Future.
source: bbc.com