Republican-Backed Privacy Bill to Restore Restrictions on Sharing Browser History
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Rep. Marsha Blackburn sponsored a bill Thursday that would increase restrictions on consumer data use by both internet service providers and so-called “edge providers” such as Google and Facebook.
If passed, the ”Balancing the Rights of Web Surfers Equally and Responsibly Act of 2017” — comprising the convoluted acronym “BROWSER” act of 2017′ — would require ISPs or other digital players such as social platforms, digital publishers or mobile app providers, to obtain opt-in consent from people in order to use, disclose, or permit access to their sensitive information.
Blackburn’s bill would require companies to provide opt-outs for use of non-sensitive data. Sensitive user information, according to the bill, would not only include financial and health data, but web browsing and app usage history. Such data is the lifeblood of digital ad audience targeting and has historically been treated as non-sensitive data by the digital media and advertising industries. The bill also defines “precise geo-location data” as sensitive.
