Alan Diaz / AP
Major internet providers spent Friday reassuring customers nervous after Congress voted to overturn privacy protections that would have required them to get permission to share user data with advertisers. The rules had yet to take effect.
- Verizon's Karen Zacharia: "Let's set the record straight. Verizon does not sell the personal web browsing history of our customers. We don't do it and that's the bottom line."
- Comcast Gerard Lewis: "In view of all the misinformation and inaccurate statements that have been made in the last week, we want to make sure that our customers understand how strong our privacy protections really are."
- AT&T's Bob Quinn: "The Congressional action had zero effect on the privacy protections afforded to consumers." And: "Hopefully, this week's action by Congress gets us back on the path to a more rational and consumer-friendly framework. I am also hopeful that facts actually work their way back into the debate."
Why it matters: The companies are aware of how much attention the vote has attracted, thanks in part to rallying cries from the liberal grassroots who are sure to have a vocal response to the efforts to roll back net neutrality rules.