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The Verge
Comcast and AT&T published blog posts this morning responding to the backlash theyve been receiving since Congress voted to revoke a strong set of internet privacy rules that would have prevented internet providers from using or sharing their customers web browsing history without permission. The companies take very different approaches when responding, but the takeaway from both is that they think customers should stop worrying.
Comcast takes the friendlier approach and actually makes some basic commitments to customers. We do not sell our broadband customers individual web browsing history, writes Gerard Lewis, Comcasts chief privacy officer. We did not do it before the FCCs rules were adopted, and we have no plans to do so.
AT&Ts response has the same message at its core, but the tone couldnt be more different: its standoffish and argumentative, with AT&Ts public policy chief, Bob Quinn, trying explain why nothing has changed and the FCC was wrong in the first place.
The Congressional action had zero effect on the privacy protections afforded to consumers, Quinn writes. It is also flatly untrue that the Congressional action eliminated all legal protections governing use of consumer information.