Media Contact: 
Mark Wigfield, (202) 418-0253
mark.wigfield@fcc.gov
For Immediate Release
STATEMENT ON NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE AND UNIFORM 
FRAMEWORK TO PROTECT AMERICANS’ ONLINE PRIVACY
  --
WASHINGTON, February 24, 2017 – Following is a statement from Office of Media Relations 
Acting Director Mark Wigfield: 
“Chairman Pai believes that the best way to protect the online privacy of American consumers is 
through a comprehensive and uniform regulatory framework.  All actors in the online space 
should be subject to the same rules, and the federal government shouldn’t favor one set of 
companies over another.  Therefore, he has advocated returning to a technology-neutral privacy 
framework for the online world and harmonizing the FCC’s privacy rules for broadband 
providers with the FTC’s standards for others in the digital economy.  Unfortunately, one of the 
previous administration’s privacy rules that is scheduled to take effect on March 2 is not 
consistent with the FTC’s privacy standards.  Therefore, Chairman Pai is seeking to act on a 
request to stay this rule before it takes effect on March 2.  If Commissioners are willing to cast 
their votes by March 2, then the full Commission will decide the stay request.  If not, then the 
Wireline Competition Bureau will stay that one element of the privacy rules pending a full 
Commission vote on the pending petitions for reconsideration consistent with past practice.”   
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Office of Media Relations: (202) 418-0500
TTY: (888) 835-5322
Twitter: @FCC
www.fcc.gov/office-media-relations
This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order 
constitutes official action.  See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).