January 3, 2017
Background: Today, USTelecom filed a Petition for Reconsideration of the FCC’s Protecting the Privacy of Customers of Broadband and Other Telecommunications Services Report and Order.
The following statement is from USTelecom President & CEO Jonathan Spalter:
“In filing this petition, USTelecom is laying out a path for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to fully harmonize its broadband privacy rules with the well-established privacy and data security framework used by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FCC’s current order creates a confusing approach that does not serve consumer privacy interests well. And, by refusing to adopt the FTC’s approach that also values innovation and competition, the FCC order threatens real harms to consumers and the Internet. USTelecom supports maintaining elements of the order that are consistent with the FTC’s privacy regime. But as long as the FCC classifies broadband Internet access as a ‘common carrier service,’ it should provide clarity to consumers and help ensure a competitive and innovative Internet by harmonizing its privacy rules with the carefully developed approach used by the FTC.”