The growing backlash to federal rollback of regulations continued this week, as Minnesota and Illinois both made moves to protect internet privacy after Congress voted to let broadband providers sell user data to third parties without permission.
In what the Pioneer Press called a “surprise move” on Wednesday, the Minnesota Senate voted to bar internet service providers (ISPs) from selling customer data without their written consent.
State Sen. Ron Latz with the Democratic Farmer Labor Party (DFL-St.Louis Park) introduced the legislation as an amendment to the Senate’s economic development budget bill, saying a vote on internet privacy was urgently needed after Congress overturned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rule this week that previously blocked ISPs from sharing information with third parties.
After clearing some procedural hurdles with the help of Sen. Warren Limmer (R-Maple Grove), who broke with his party to support the amendment’s introduction on the Senate floor rather than going through committee, the bill passed 58-9.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Democratic lawmakers in Illinois considered implementing their own internet privacy rules in response to the congressional vote.
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