Commissioners approved ISP privacy rules Thursday in a party-line FCC vote, as expected, largely as proposed by Chairman Tom Wheeler (see 1610260065). ISPs lost in their attempts to get the agency to drop a plan to classify web browsing and application use history as sensitive data, requiring opt-in consent. Commissioner Mignon Clyburn was unsuccessful in her push for restrictions on ISPs inserting mandatory arbitration clauses in service contracts, though the majority did commit to seeking comment on that issue in early 2017.

ISPs apparently failed in their attempts to get the FCC to drop web browsing and application-use history from the list of types of data to be treated as sensitive, requiring opt-in consent to use or share, as the ISP privacy rules head for a commissioner vote Thursday, we're told. Meanwhile, Commissioner Mignon Clyburn isn't expected to press for provisions that would ban plans that allow subscribers to sign up for cheaper broadband in return for reduced privacy protections (see 1610200044). But Clyburn is pushing for a rule change that would block ISPs from inserting mandatory arbitration clauses on privacy violations in service contracts, informed sources said.

ISPs apparently failed in their attempts to get the FCC to drop web browsing and application-use history from the list of types of data to be treated as sensitive, requiring opt-in consent to use or share, as the ISP privacy rules head for a commissioner vote Thursday, we're told. Meanwhile, Commissioner Mignon Clyburn isn't expected to press for provisions that would ban plans that allow subscribers to sign up for cheaper broadband in return for reduced privacy protections (see 1610200044). But Clyburn is pushing for a rule change that would block ISPs from inserting mandatory arbitration clauses on privacy violations in service contracts, informed sources said.

AT&T’s proposed buy of Time Warner is raising additional questions as the FCC steams toward a commissioner vote on ISP privacy rules Thursday (see 1610240041). The rules proposed by Chairman Tom Wheeler (see 1610060031) have strong support from privacy advocates, but have raised broad industry concerns.

AT&T’s proposed buy of Time Warner is raising additional questions as the FCC steams toward a commissioner vote on ISP privacy rules Thursday (see 1610240041). The rules proposed by Chairman Tom Wheeler (see 1610060031) have strong support from privacy advocates, but have raised broad industry concerns.

ISPs will be required to get express, opt-in consent before using or sharing eight categories of sensitive information, under the privacy rules circulated (see 1610060021) by FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler to his fellow commissioners Thursday for a vote at the Oct. 27 commissioners meeting. But ISPs wouldn’t have to seek consent on all of the data Wheeler proposed in an NPRM (see 1603310049). The early reaction to the plan was mostly positive, even from advocates of strong privacy rules. But NCTA and USTelecom had concerns.

ISPs will be required to get express, opt-in consent before using or sharing eight categories of sensitive information, under the privacy rules circulated (see 1610060021) by FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler to his fellow commissioners Thursday for a vote at the Oct. 27 commissioners meeting. But ISPs wouldn’t have to seek consent on all of the data Wheeler proposed in an NPRM (see 1603310049). The early reaction to the plan was mostly positive, even from advocates of strong privacy rules. But NCTA and USTelecom had concerns.

Cuba Democracy Advocates Executive Director Mauricio Claver-Carone on Sept. 14 agreed to help Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., move forward his bill proposing credit financing for U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba, working to ensure that it wouldn’t directly benefit the Castro administration or weaken democracy in the island nation. Arguments abounded both in support of and in opposition to opening up U.S. financing to promote exports to Cuba during a full House Agriculture Committee meeting that same day. One key member, House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson, said the potential benefits of a bill to finance exports to Cuba would be limited for the short term at least, highlighting that Cuba is a small country that houses citizens who earn low incomes, and that embassies constitute much of the demand driving agricultural imports to the island, as opposed to the Cuban people at large.

LAS VEGAS -- The FCC is making the spectrum available it will need to launch 5G, but backhaul remains a big issue, Chairman Tom Wheeler told the CTIA annual conference. He didn’t offer any rosy predictions for the TV incentive auction, promising only that it will determine whether 600 MHz spectrum is worth more to carriers than to broadcasters. CTIA President Meredith Baker urged the FCC to schedule an auction of high-frequency spectrum while Wheeler is still chairman. Wheeler was president of CTIA from 1992 to 2004.

LAS VEGAS -- The FCC is making the spectrum available it will need to launch 5G, but backhaul remains a big issue, Chairman Tom Wheeler told the CTIA annual conference. He didn’t offer any rosy predictions for the TV incentive auction, promising only that it will determine whether 600 MHz spectrum is worth more to carriers than to broadcasters. CTIA President Meredith Baker urged the FCC to schedule an auction of high-frequency spectrum while Wheeler is still chairman. Wheeler was president of CTIA from 1992 to 2004.