Internet service providers could have an easier time selling their customers' data thanks to a Senate vote on Thursday that overturns a Federal Communications Commission rule requiring ISPs to get permission before selling consumer browsing history and other data.
The Senate voted along party lines to repeal the rule, with 50 Republicans voting yes and 48 Democrats rejecting the measure, Reuters reports. It was unclear when the measure will be up for a vote in the House of Representatives, although President Donald Trump is likely to sign it if it's successful there.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate was overturning a regulation that "makes the internet an uneven playing field, increases complexity, discourages competition, innovation, and infrastructure investment," according to Reuters. The Internet and Television Association, a trade group made up of Comcast and many other ISPs, also hailed the vote.
The move comes after the FCC, now headed by Trump-appointed chairman Ajit Pai, blocked a rule put in place by the previous administration that would requires ISPs to obtain opt-in consent before sharing sensitive data like Social Security numbers, geolocation, health information, and web browsing history. Pai announced earlier this month that the FCC would stay the implementation of the new rule, describing it as "not consistent" with the privacy framework of the Federal Trade Commission.
In a joint statement following Thursday's Senate vote, FCC commissioner Mignon Clyburn and FTC commissioner Terrell McSweeney, both Democrats, condemned the legislation.
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"This legislation will frustrate the FCC's future efforts to protect the privacy of voice and broadband customers," they said. "It also creates a massive gap in consumer protection law as broadband and cable companies now have no discernible privacy requirements."
The American Civil Liberties Union also voiced its opposition, with ACLU Legislative Counsel Neema Singh Guliani saying in a statement that it was "extremely disappointing that the Senate voted today to sacrifice the privacy rights of Americans in the interest of protecting the profits of major internet companies."
Also, as the ACLU notes, "passage of the resolution by Congress could prevent the FCC from issuing rules that are substantially the same in the future."