By TATIANA PROPHET

As the volatile news month of March came to a close, it was hard to miss the latest gut punch: the Republicans in Congress just killed Internet privacy. And in case there was any doubt, the law they signed killed it for good. Americans who heard or read about it were breathless at the effrontery.

“It totally wipes out privacy protections for consumers on the Internet,” said Menlo Park, Calif., Democratic Rep. Anna Eshoo on the House floor, whose remarks were widely quoted. “I don’t want anyone to take my information and sell it to someone and make a ton of money off of it just because they can get their mitts on it.”

So now, because congressional Republicans are greedy, the fact that you bought a dildo online is going to be sold to the highest bidder.