[JURIST] US President Donald Trump on Monday signed a bill [S.J.Res.34, materials] officially repealing internet privacy regulations [press release] set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) [official website] during the end of former president Barrack Obama’s term. A pending FCC rule, Protecting the Privacy of Customers of Broadband and Other Telecommunications Services [text], would have required [Reuters report] internet providers to seek consumer consent before sharing and selling their private information.

Last month, Republicans seeking to invalidate the rule had the current bill considered before the US House of Representatives and Senate [official websites] and received approval [JURIST report] despite the lack of Democratic support. Recently, 46 Democratic Senators argued against the bill in the name of protecting Americans’ privacy. FCC Republicans, including Chairman Ajit Pai [official profile], have praised the bill, stating that the old regulations actually favored internet companies by allowing websites to acquire more data than internet providers normally would.