As the FCC Unlocks the Box, Privacy Remains a Top Priority

The Federal Communication Commission's proposal to "unlock the box" and enable people to access pay TV content on any device could save customers billions, by giving them easier access to cable and online video on smart, innovative devices. Many content creators, cable, and some other video distributors have opposed it. They raise a variety of arguments, including a concern that a competitive consumer device market would raise new viewer privacy concerns. Of course, it has been somewhat odd to see cable companies set themselves up as champions of privacy in this context, even as they urge the FCC to limit the scope of the privacy rules for broadband (and sue to overturn them in court). Nevertheless, as advocates of cable customer privacy, Public Knowledge takes this issue seriously. We are confident that nothing about unlocking the box will result in weaker privacy protections for consumers.