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[Vanillalite]

The Verge

Comcast and AT&T published blog posts this morning responding to the backlash they’ve 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, Comcast’s chief privacy officer. “We did not do it before the FCC’s rules were adopted, and we have no plans to do so.”

AT&T’s response has the same message at its core, but the tone couldn’t be more different: it’s standoffish and argumentative, with AT&T’s 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.”

 

[……forgetit]

 

[Nokterian]

Privacy is a human right..what a bunch of lying cunts.

 

[MegaManTrigger]

 

[pa22word]

Wasn't it Israel that wanted to adopt soccer style uniform ads for politicians taking money from corps?

I wonder how many people voting for this bill would have ATT + comcast in 50pt font on their backs voted for this trash?

 

[Pandora012]

For some reason I don't believe them.

 

[Nafai1123]

Really wish I could drop Comcast and go with a local provider in my area but my location is shit for ADSL.

 

[Norwegian Rudo]

Note that "we have no plans to" is a long way away from saying they will never do so.

 

[RootCause]

Lol at at&t. They can't even do PR right.

 

[OniBarubary]

They seem pretty trustworthy

 

[John Kowalski]

For some reason I don't believe them.

That they're not selling your specific web history? They probably aren't. Can't imagine that kind of raw data having that much value, only after being digested. And i wouldn't think it would be a good business practice to sell raw data for others to analyse when you can do that yourself and sell it to a lot more people than if it were raw.

 

[JORMBO]

I feel better already.

 

[NeOak]

Lol at at&t. They can't even do PR right.

I mean, they used to charge $30 extra to not track you on their Fiber plans before the FCC started working on these rules.

 

[Sophia]

AT&T's response is incredibly pathetic, given the nature of this topic.

Comcast is better, and actually slightly reassuring that they do point out that they've never sold a consumer's web browsing history before. Still... : \

 

[Dishwalla]

Severely chop my internet bill if you insist on selling my data and maybe I won't worry so much.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Severely chop my internet bill if you insist on selling my data and maybe I won't worry so much.

at&t did this for several years before the fcc signaled it would make this kind of thing illegal

https://www.fool.com/investing/2016/10/03/att-drops-its-controversial-extra-charge-for-priva.aspx

 

[Couleurs]

Oh well if Comcast and AT&T say so, whew. We can definitely trust them to do what's right.

 

[Dishwalla]

at&t did this for several years before the fcc signaled it would make this kind of thing illegal

https://www.fool.com/investing/2016/10/03/att-drops-its-controversial-extra-charge-for-priva.aspx

Yeah well that was a very different FCC.

 

[Electric Eye]

AT&T jumped on board the snooping for the government train after 9/11 and were given retroactive immunity. They also work with the NSA and have a building in the east coast were they route all data through for the NSA. That AT&T says I shouldn't worry about privacy? Lol

 

[Darklor01]

If it has zero affect, then why change it?

 

[Slayven]

“We do not sell our broadband customers’ individual web browsing history,”

Key word

 

[jstripes]

“We do not sell our broadband customers’ individual web browsing history,” writes Gerard Lewis, Comcast’s chief privacy officer.

"Rather, we sell it as a package deal."

 

[KoopaTheCasual]

Lol first three replies on point.

Key word

Good catch.

That nice batch deal.

 

[RootCause]

I mean, they used to charge $30 extra to not track you on their Fiber plans before the FCC started working on these rules.

Wow! Had no idea. o.o

 

[Stumpokapow]

Yeah well that was a very different FCC.

no, sorry, I'm not sure I was clear:

1: FCC has no rule against collecting/selling customer info. AT&T collects/sells customer info. If you want to opt out, you pay $20+ extra a month.

2. Because of this, FCC signals it is going to ban collecting/selling customer info. AT&T discontinues doing so.

3. Congress blocks rule from taking effect.

The clear future is that AT&T will resume collecting/selling customer info, and you will "get a discount" in the sense that if you opt out from having your info sold, you will pay extra.

 

[Darklor01]

"Rather, we sell it as a package deal."

Sounds about right.

 

[Plinko]

That AT&T response...I mean, come on.

 

[styl3s]

Comcast has also been telling me not to worry about my bill for the last 10 years yet i find myself having to call them every single month to deal with bullshit charges/raises in price.

I'll never believe your bullshit CC.

 

[PrivateWHudson]

Wasn't it Israel that wanted to adopt soccer style uniform ads for politicians taking money from corps?

I wonder how many people voting for this bill would have ATT + comcast in 50pt font on their backs voted for this trash?

That's beautiful. We need that here.

 

[Line_HTX]

Hey Comcast...

Why the fuck you lyin'? Why you always lyin'?

 

[ahoyhoy]

You think someone would do that?

Connect you to the Internet and tell lies?

 

[OrlanisWorks]

Bribery is just so goddamn effective.

And Comcast is still gonna sell your shit. It'll just be in bulk.

 

[necrosis]

that at&t response jfc

 

[Gordon Shumway]

 

[AndyD]

"Rather, we sell it as a package deal."

Indeed. That said they have their own ad network, and a giant monopoly, so more than likely they would make more money selling directly to advertisers than selling your info to other ad networks.

 

[Muppet of a Man]

These companies are full of shit. I know, being on the inside of one of them.

 

[M3d10n]

“It is also flatly untrue that the Congressional action eliminated all legal protections governing use of consumer information.”

So, what are these protections, specifically?

 

[rhino4evr]

Sean Spicer now writing press releases for AT&T?

 

[Steeped in a Sea of Games]

Nothing different, but yet, they still lobbied to get rid of it.

Hmmmm....

 

[Septimus Prime]

 

[wenis]

Yea fuck you. I can't wait till my area gets another ISP. Later this year hopefully I can switch over to a satellite service.

 

[Netherscourge]

You'll know when you start getting paper junk mail and email spam from PornHub.

 

[Poppy]

ISPs are so friggin obnoxious

 

[Just_myles]

ISPs are so friggin obnoxious

They are. Now they can sell customer data to whoever they want as I understand. It's going to be a no holds barred scenario.

We pretty much have locked ourselves in a cage with this current administration. We will have no privacy and no options.

 

[Lagamorph]

 

[Foffy]

We won't fuck you.

Honest.

 

[Hari Seldon]

AT&T is so evil that even Comcast looks good in comparison.

 

[NastyBook]

LMFAO!

 

[Luminaire]

Note that "we have no plans to" is a long way away from saying they will never do so.

Why would you have plans to do something you've already done / are doing?

 

[maximum360]

Really wish I could drop Comcast and go with a local provider in my area but my location is shit for ADSL.

It's not like I need another reason to hate Comcast. They just have a monopoly in my area so it's them or crappy and expensive DSL.