PERSONAL SPACE

House: No More Internet Privacy Protections

GOP votes to repeal privacy of browsing histories, location data.

House Republicans voted Tuesday to repeal a set of privacy protections for Internet users that was enacted under the Obama administration. In a 215-205 vote, the measure now heads to the White House where President Trump is expected to sign it. It’s a move that could allow Internet providers to collect and sell customers’ browsing history, location information, and health data, among other things. Privacy advocates were obviously upset with the vote. “Today’s vote means that Americans will never be safe online from having their most personal details stealthily scrutinized and sold to the highest bidder,” said Jeffrey Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy. “Donald Trump, by giving away our data to the country’s leading phone and cable giants, is further undermining American democracy.”