On March 10, Tom Wheeler, chairman of the Federal Communications
Commission, submitted to the FCC a proposal for the adoption of new
privacy rules applicable to broadband Internet service
providers.
As Wheeler stated in a blog post published on the Huffington
Post on the same day the proposal was announced, these new privacy
rules are meant to "empower consumers" by helping them
gain increased control over the personal data they share with their
ISPs. The rules are based on three core principles: choice,
transparency and security.
Under the proposed rules, ISPs would still be allowed to collect
customer data to deliver their services to consumers but their
sharing of such data with affiliates or third parties for marketing
or promotional purposes would be more restricted. ISPs could
continue sharing customer online activity data for marketing or
promotional purposes with their affiliates, but only if such
affiliates provide communication-related services and if
