The Federal Communications Commission plans to reinstate that were during the Trump administration. Restoring those Obama-era rules has been for years, but a deadlocked FCC has prevented that from happening during his time in the White House so far. Now, one day after Anna Gomez was sworn in as , the agency is with an attempt to bring back net neutrality regulations.
When net neutrality rules are enforced, internet service providers are not allowed to block or give preference to any content. They can’t throttle access to specific websites or charge the likes of streaming services for faster service. They must provide users with access to every site, content and app at the same speeds and conditions. Advocates tout net neutrality protections as the foundation of an open and equitable internet.
FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel, a of net neutrality rules, announced a plan to restore those protections on Tuesday. “This afternoon, I’m sharing with my colleagues a rulemaking that proposes to reinstate net neutrality,” Rosenworcel said at an event at the National Press Club.
“For everyone, everywhere, to enjoy the full benefits of the internet age, internet access should be more than just accessible and affordable,” Rosenworcel said. “The internet needs to be open.” She added that repealing net neutrality protections “put the FCC on the wrong side of history, the wrong side of the law and the wrong side of the American public.”
Rosenworcel noted that this is a first step in the process of restoring net neutrality. It will likely take quite some time until net neutrality regulations are restored, as notes. The FCC commissioners will likely start with a vote on the issue ahead of a lengthy period of notice, during which time the agency will accept public comments. The commissioners would then take another vote on the rules. While the push to restore net neutrality rules may prove successful, the implementation could be delayed by legal challenges.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.