California may restore broadband privacy rules killed by Congress and Trump

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A proposed law in California would require Internet service providers to obtain customers' permission before they use, share, or sell the customers' Web browsing history.

The California Broadband Internet Privacy Act, a bill introduced by Assembly member Ed Chau (D-Monterey Park) on Monday, is very similar to an Obama-era privacy rule that was scheduled to take effect across the US until President Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress eliminated it. If Chau's bill becomes law, ISPs in California would have to get subscribers' opt-in consent before using browsing history and other sensitive information in order to serve personalized advertisements. Consumers would have the right to revoke their consent at any time.

"The idea that a person should have some say about how their Internet service provider can use, share or sell their personal information is not a controversial question for everyday consumers-it is common sense," Chau said in an announcement. "Congress and the Administration went against the will of the vast majority of Americans when they revoked the FCC's own privacy rules in April, but California is going to restore what Washington stripped away."

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