Connor Detlefsen
Lantern Staff
With the recent decision to revoke current standards on Internet privacy set in place by the FCC, Internet Service Providers such as AT&T, Verizon and Comcast will have the ability sell all data collected from its customers’ online activity.
Prior to this new reality, the FCC granted users more privacy and made selling customer data extremely difficult. Internet Service Providers were unhappy with the previous Privacy Rule, saying that it was unfair to Internet providers when companies like Google and Facebook could freely sell your usage data nearly without your consent. Other arguments contended that the Privacy Act stunted the growth and innovation of companies like AT&T.
It could be argued that a majority of these reasons do not present a strong enough case to monitor and sell customer data to the highest bidder. As when it comes to the case of Google and Facebook, they intend to sell our data as a means of keeping their service free; meanwhile, Internet Service Providers are practically aiming to sell your data for double profits.
Prior to the new rule to sell your data, some Internet Service Providers even allowed customers to consent to the selling of their data for cheaper rates on their service plans. The whole new process largely seems unethical, seeing as how some people have limited choices in Internet service, and the ability to sell customer data without consent or compensation is quite unsettling.
If you look past this new system, the dangers associated with Internet Service Providers selling your meta data becomes even more clear.
These companies are handling massive quantities of everything you do online– imagine that for just a moment. Your browsing history, purchases and online communications will all be sold to multiple other parties, which is a chilling thought. If your Internet Service Provider, or a party with all your data, was hacked, your data could even be in the hands of a potential employer.
What if that data got into the hands of your health insurance provider, and they decided to charge you more money based on your online activity? Internet Service Providers will argue that your data will only serve marketing purposes and aim to provide you with a better customer experience. However, there is also the issue that Internet Service Providers have been selling your data through loop holes in the plan for years, but now they have more legality. While there are certain steps you can take to ensure you have more online privacy, it begs an important question: “Why should I have to pay for privacy?”
