FTC Revises List of Companies Subject to Broadband Privacy Study

The Federal Trade Commission has revised the list of companies from which it is seeking information as part of its examination of broadband companies’ privacy practices.

In March, the FTC announced it was sending orders seeking information about their privacy practices to AT&T Inc., AT&T Mobility LLC, Comcast Cable Communications doing business as Xfinity, Google Fiber Inc., T-Mobile US Inc., Verizon Communications Inc., and Cellco Partnership doing business as Verizon Wireless.

To ensure it receives the most relevant and accurate information, the FTC has withdrawn the orders to AT&T Inc., and Verizon Communications Inc., and is instead sending orders to: AT&T’s advertising subsidiary, Appnexus Inc.; Verizon Online LLC, Verizon’s wireline advertising subsidiary; and another Verizon advertising subsidiary, Oath Americas Inc. The FTC is also sending a new request to Charter Communications Inc., which is the nation’s second largest cable provider.

As previously announced, the FTC is seeking information on the categories of personal information collected about consumers or their devices; copies of the companies’ notices and disclosures to consumers about their data collection practices; whether the companies offer consumers choices about the collection, retention, use, and disclosure of personal information; and procedures and processes for allowing consumers to access, correct, or delete their personal information.

The Commission is authorized to issue the Orders to File a Special Report by Section 6(b) of the FTC Act. The Commission vote to issue the four new orders and rescind the two previous orders was 5-0.

The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition, and protect and educate consumers. You can learn more about consumer topics and file a consumer complaint online or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357). Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, read our blogs, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.

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The Regulatory Mix Today: FTC Revises List of Companies Subject to Broadband Privacy Study, FCC Releases Internet Access Services Status Report

THE REGULATORY MIX IS ON VACATION FOR LABOR DAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND. WE WILL BE BACK AS SOON AS HURRICANE DORIAN LEAVES CENTRAL FLORIDA

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FCC Releases Internet Access Services Status Report

The FCC’s Industry Analysis Division Office of Economics & Analytics has released its Internet Access Services Status as of December 31, 2017 Report. This report summarizes information about Internet access connections in the United States as of 12/31/17 as collected by FCC Form 477.

The report includes data on total and residential Internet access connections by downstream and upstream speed, by technology, by geography, and over time. Sections include nationwide statistics, state-level data, data on the subscribership differences amount counties and census tracts and an analysis of the correlations between subscribership rations and various demographic measure.

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The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of an Inteserra Briefing.