Privacy is one of the hallmarks of our republic. Even though it doesn’t directly state in the Constitution a right to privacy, most in this country would assume that we have a right to protect our private actions against people and the government.

The United States Congress just took a step to violate our privacy online by allowing our Internet Service Providers to sell our customer data. In one of the biggest acts of privacy violations under the new administration and congress, our rights as free citizens are now being thrown down the drain.

From The Verge:

Republicans in Congress just voted to reverse a landmark FCC privacy rule that opens the door for ISPs to sell customer data. Lawmakers provided no credible reason for this being in the interest of Americans, except for vague platitudes about “consumer choice” and “free markets,” as if consumers at the mercy of their local internet monopoly are craving to have their web history quietly sold to marketers and any other third party willing to pay.

The only people who seem to want this are the people who are going to make lots of money from it. (Hint: they work for companies like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T.) Incidentally, these people and their companies routinely give lots of money to members of Congress.

We now live in an age of time that is centered around information about us that is stored on servers in other states or countries. Privacy is taking a different approach in the 21st Century and it is befitting that power hungry Congressman would sell off our rights as citizens to the highest bidder.

All the Congressman who voted for this bill benefit financially from the biggest lobbying firm that argued in favor of this bill. Apparently, our privacy is for sell at all levels and our government did nothing to protect us.