House Republicans Vote to Repeal FCC Privacy Rules

House Republicans on Tuesday voted to repeal an FCC ruling that protects Internet users' privacy, which now means Broadband companies will not have to explicitly ask for approval to access and use customer data for target marketing purposes.

The Senate voted Thursday to adopt the resolution nullifying the rules, and the White House said Tuesday President Donald Trump plans to sign the order. 

What does this mean for Internet users? 

Internet history, mobile location data, app usage history, financial information, health data, and the content of emails and messages are no longer truly private. Personal information, according to The Washington Post, is also more vulnerable to third-party attacks and hackers because the ruling releases Internet providers from obligations to increase protections against thieves.

"ISPs like Comcast, AT&T, and Charter will be free to sell your personal information to the highest bidder without your permission — and no one will be able to protect you," Gigi Sohn, a former FCC staffer who helped draft the privacy rules, wrote on The Verge.

Following a few steps can help Internet users protect themselves somewhat, according to the Post: Browsing HTTPS sites only, Buying a Virtual Private Network, and going "Incognito" on your web browser.

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