A bill to establish privacy protections for customers of broadband Internet access service and other telecommunications services.
Latest action (6 Apr 2017): Introduced
What this bill does
Generate a neutral, plain-English explanation of what this bill does, who it affects and what happens next — grounded in the official text.
Official summary
This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to promulgate customer privacy regulations that require telecommunications services, broadband Internet access services, and interconnected VoIP services to:
• notify a customer about the collection, use, and sharing of customer proprietary information that is individually identifiable customer proprietary network information, personally identifiable information, or the content of communications;
• obtain opt-in approval from a customer to use and share sensitive customer proprietary information about financial or health information, children, Social Security numbers, precise geolocation, content of communications, call detail information, web browsing or application usage history, or other customary proprietary information that the FCC determines to be sensitive;
• not refuse to serve a customer who does not consent to the use and sharing of customer proprietary information for commercial purposes under a "take-it-or-leave-it" offer;
• develop data security practices; and
• notify customers of security breaches.
The FCC must also implement strong protection for de-identified customary proprietary information to prevent re-identifying such information.
Common questions
- What does S. 878 do?
- This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to promulgate customer privacy regulations that require telecommunications services, broadband Internet access services, and interconnected VoIP services to: • notify a customer about the collection, use, and sharing of customer proprietary information that is individually identifiable customer proprietary network information, personally identifiable information, or the content of communications; • obtain opt-in approval from a customer to use and share sensitive customer proprietary information about financial or health information, children, Social Security numbers, precise geolocation, content of communications, call detail information, web browsing or application usage history, or other customary proprietary information that the FCC determines to be sensitive; • not refuse to serve a customer who does not consent to the use and sharing of customer proprietary information for commercial purposes under a "take-it-or-leave-it" offer; • develop data security practices; and • notify customers of security breaches. The FCC must also implement strong protection for de-identified customary proprietary information to prevent re-identifying such information.
- Has S. 878 become law?
- Not yet. As of 6 Apr 2017, S. 878 is introduced.
- Who sponsored S. 878?
- S. 878 was sponsored by Sen. Edward “Ed” Markey [D-MA] (Democrat-MA), with 12 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on S. 878?
- Introduced (6 Apr 2017).
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