An FCC online privacy ruling out on Thursday will require Internet service providers to first obtain permission before sharing a customer's personal information with marketers.
Consumer advocates welcomed the new Federal Communications Commission rules giving more power to customers in the sharing of their Internet data with third-party vendors, said the Wall Street Journal.
Consumer Reports noted the measure passed 3-2 along party lines after partisan disagreements.
The new rules will give ISPs about a year to adapt to the new rules, forcing AT&T, Comcast and other providers to get "opt in" approval from its users before sharing personal data for marketing and advertising.
The decision was criticized by the Internet & Television Association, which charged the measure treats Internet service providers "differently from some of the largest companies in the Internet ecosystem that engage in similar practices but operates under different regulatory standards."
"The commission's decision to break with the FTC's proven privacy framework in favor of a cobbled-together approach that abandons principles of fair competition is profoundly disappointing," the association said.
"Instead of creating a consistent and uniform approach to privacy that consumers can easily understand, today's result speaks more to regulatory opportunism than reasoned policy."
The decision was hailed, though, by the Consumers Union, which said the measure gives customers the power to say yes or no about their information being shared by the Internet service providers.
"As the Internet has become ubiquitous, broadband providers have gained a unique, all-encompassing window into our daily lives," said Jonathan Schwantes, senior telecom policy counsel for Consumers Union.
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