House votes to repeal internet privacy rules

A man surfs the internet.
(Image credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

The House voted Tuesday 215-205 on a measure that repeals new Federal Communications Commission regulations that would have required high-speed internet service providers to get customer approval before sharing and using such personal information as their browsing history and app usage.

The rules were approved by the FCC in October, on a 3-2 party line vote. The broadband companies and Republicans argued that websites and social networks that collect information on customers and use it to place targeted ads are not subject to strict rules, while supporters — including Democrats and privacy advocates — said they are worried about what data the ISPs will collect without permission. The Senate voted to repeal the measure last week, and President Trump is expected to sign it.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.