"If the bill is signed into law, companies like Cox, Comcast, Time Warner, AT&T, and Verizon will have free rein to hijack your searches, sell your data, and hammer you with unwanted advertisements."

"Worst yet, consumers will now have to pay a privacy tax by relying on VPNs to safeguard their information. That is a poor substitute for legal protections."

[Source: EFF](https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2017/03/congress-sides-cable-and-telephone-indust

Both the US House of representatives and the the Senate have quietly passed S.J. Res. 34 in quick succession. The new law makes repeals FCC rules protecting internet users from having their data collected by Internet Service Providers (ISP). If, and when, president Trump signs the new bill into law companies will be able to track your web browsing activities, searches, sell your data without your permission and use the data to enhance targeted advertising.

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Congressional Vote

For: 215

Against: 210

Senate Vote

For: 50

Against: 48

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For the most part, the vote split across party lines with Republicans voting in favor 215 to 210 (15 Republicans broke rank to vote against the measure).

What S.J. Res. 34 means is that ISPs can now build highly personalized profiles of users and profit from selling your detailed data to the highest bidder. Effectively, telecom and communication companies will expand there business by becoming massive storing houses of personal data.

Proponents of the repeal, such as Republican Texas Senator Ted Cruz, argued that the FCC privacy rules were implemented despite "strenuous objections from throughout the internet community” during the rule-making process.

You're thinking "WTF are you talking about Lyin' Ted?"

"Come again?"

"We in the online community had privacy unjustly forced upon us?"

Even for Ted Cruz this is a completely ridiculous premise. The idea that internet users somehow demanded LESS privacy is utterly preposterous.

The Intercepts Lee Fang provides some telling examples,

But a look at the comments submitted to the FCC reveal that many of the opponents of the privacy regulation came not from any “community” but from groups with extensive financial ties to phone and cable companies — with some of their claims hinging on the absurd. In reality, the objections to upholding privacy protections came from corporate manufactured advocacy groups.

For instance, the League of United Latin American Citizens and OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates, two self-described civil rights organizations, told the FCC that “many consumers, especially households with limited incomes, appreciate receiving relevant advertising that is keyed to their interests and provides them with discounts on the products and services they use.”

Both LULAC and OCA receive funding from Comcast and other ISPs.

Source: The Intercept.

Funding for the 'civil rights' organizations was provided by a host of telecom companies including Verizon, AT&T and Time Warner Cable. In addition, Comcast donated $240, 000 from 2004 to 2012 to the 'grassroots' movement.

The claims that minority groups and those in lower income families would prefer invasive ads over their fourth amendment rights has been roundly mocked.

“The data that big corporations collect from black and brown families leads to predatory marketing that starts from a young age and lasts for a lifetime — everything from payday loans to junk food advertising,” said Brandi Collins, campaign director for Color of Change.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation warns that it's only a matter of time until the government demands access to the mountains of personal data that ISPs will have amassed.

Aggressive forms of advertising have already crept into our online lives. Whether it's targeted ads based on email content or commercials that cater to your likes on Facebook, but you ain't seen nothing yet.

The flood gates are about to be opened.

Edit/Update - All credit and thanks to @nepd who brought this to my attention in the comments.

The creator of Cards Against Humanity, Max Temkin tweeted that he would purchase and publish the personal data of every congressman if this bill passes.

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