AP EXPLAINS: What the death of broadband privacy rules means
NEW YORK — Now that both houses of Congress have voted to block Obama-era broadband privacy rules , what does that mean for you?
In the short term, not so much. The rules, which would have put tough restrictions on what companies like Comcast, Verizon and AT&T can do with information such as your internet history, hadn’t yet gone into effect. So if President Donald Trump signs the measure, as the White House has indicated he will , the status quo will remain.
But the absence of clear privacy rules means that the companies supplying your internet service — and who can see a great deal of what you do with it — can continue to mine that information for use in their own advertising businesses. And consumer advocates worry that the companies will be an enticing target for hackers.
Here’s how that could play out and what it means.