The U.S. Federal Communications Commission today voted to start making rules that would protect the privacy of broadband customers. The FCC voted 3-to-2 to start a rulemaking that would spell out privacy regulations for broadband Internet access providers under Section 222 of the Communications Act. When the FCC reclassified broadband providers as common carriers, like telephone companies, it got authority to set privacy rules for ISPs.

Under the rulemaking approved today the FCC is seeking comment on a "proposed framework for ensuring that consumers have the tools they need to make informed choices about how their data is used and when it is shared by their broadband providers."

Broadband providers would often be required to get customer permission to use and share personal data they collect under regulations proposed by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission.

The proposed rules, to be debated during the FCC's March 31 meeting, would allow broadband providers to send information about new deals and deliver Web-browsing functionality without seeking further customer permission.

Broadband customers will be able to opt out of data collection for the broadband providers' internal and affiliate marketing and other communications-related services. For all other purposes, including most sharing of personal data with third parties, broadband providers would be required to get customers' opt-in permission to use and share customer personal data.