Leading up to the meeting Thursday, advocates such as the watchdog group Public Knowledge pushed for the FCC  to use the broadband privacy proposal as a vehicle for the agency to join the ranks of regulators that have already taken steps to stop companies from using mandatory arbitration agreements to prevent customers from filing class action lawsuits.

The rules adopted Thursday did not address the issue, but in a nod to those advocates — namely Democratic Commissioner Mignon Clyburn — FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said Thursday that the agency is teeing up rulemaking to limit mandatory arbitration.

“To address this issue comprehensively, we have begun an internal process that is designed to produce a notice of proposed rulemaking on this issue no later than February of 2017,” Wheeler said.

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