PITTSBURGH, October 27, 2016 – American Cable Association President and CEO Matthew M. Polka issued the following statement regarding the Federal Communications Commission’s adoption of broadband privacy regulations:
“ACA members have protected customer privacy for decades. This has been driven not only because of the need to comply with various federal and state statutory requirements, but also because ACA members prize their close relationships with their customers.
“Based on statements made at the FCC’s meeting today and the FCC’s press releases, ACA members are concerned about the new privacy and data security requirements. The FCC has certainly made some improvements to its overly prescriptive original proposal, and ACA appreciates that the FCC has recognized that smaller Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have limited resources and need greater flexibility and time to comply. And the changes the FCC made to address the needs of smaller ISPs are positive steps.
“Yet, the newly adopted rules still are inconsistent with the expectations of ISPs and their customers for the collection and sharing of data, do not treat all participants in the Internet ecosystem alike, and will impose overly burdensome requirements on smaller ISPs. In addition, the new rules do not give providers sufficient flexibility to serve the needs of their customers in a rapidly evolving Internet market.
“ACA intends to review the order and rules carefully to identify where they are off the mark. ACA looks forward to continuing its dialogue with the FCC to ensure broadband privacy and data security requirements serve the interests of consumers and providers alike.”
About the American Cable Association: Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a trade organization representing nearly 750 smaller and medium-sized, independent cable companies who provide broadband services for nearly 7 million cable subscribers primarily located in rural and smaller suburban markets across America. Through active participation in the regulatory and legislative process in Washington, D.C., ACA’s members work together to advance the interests of their customers and ensure the future competitiveness and viability of their business. For more information, visit https://acaconnects.org/