On Mar 31, 2017, at 7:41 PM, Pen Helm <[email protected] 
<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:

> Verizon, Comcast and AT&T have now said they will not sell browsing histories.

Why would they sell the browsing history? They can just use it directly through 
their own advertising subsidiaries. AT&T has for years been inserting ads into 
the Web pages 
<http://www.rcrwireless.com/20150826/network-infrastructure/wi-fi/att-inserting-ads-into-wifi-hotspots-tag20>
 viewed by people using their WiFi hotspots. Other ISPs are already doing it to 
home Internet connections 
<https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/04/how-a-banner-ad-for-hs-ok/>.

In both cases they’re probably hijacking HTTPS connections by substituting 
their own security credentials. If ISPs do this, then, without a VPN, all your 
security on the Internet is compromised.

The FCC regulations Congress voted to throw out last week defined ISPs as 
common carriers. Among other things, this meant they would have to adhere to 
the same privacy rules as phone companies. Your phone company is not allowed to 
use your call history for advertising or sell your call history to the highest 
bidder.  (I’ll bet they’d like to sell it. Keep your eyes on Congress and the 
new FCC board!)

L^2

‌
‌People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who 
do.‌ — Isaac Asimov
‌‌
‌‌



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