The Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday to bring back net neutrality, the government regulation of broadband providers.
First put in place under the Obama administration, the rules are designed to stop Internet service providers such as Comcast or Verizon from interfering with the delivery of streaming services like Netflix and YouTube. Former President Donald Trump later revoked the rules.
The five-member commission appointed by President Biden revived the rules in a 3-to-2 vote along party lines. In addition to classifying broadband as a utility, the rules also give the FCC ability to demand providers report and respond to outages, and supervise security issues.
According to the New York Times, FCC chairwoman and Democrat Jessica Rosenworcel said the decision reflects the importance of high-speed Internet for communication for Americans.
“Every consumer deserves Internet access that is fast, open and fair,” Rosenworcel said. “This is common sense.”
Broadband providers could now try to challenge the reinstated rules with legal action and lawsuits. Rosenworcel received a letter this week from Republican lawmakers warning that the revival of broadband regulations would hinder the expansion of the telecommunications industry.
The letter notes how “Congress recognized that the “Internet and other interactive computer services have thrived, to the benefit of all Americans, with a minimum of government regulation,” and says the “proposal to reclassify broadband as a telecommunications service does the exact opposite” of preserving the “vibrant and competitive” free market for Internet and interactive computer services.
The main aim of the re-established rules is to stop Internet service providers from controlling the quality of consumers’ experience accessing websites and online services. Tech companies like Google, Facebook and Amazon suggested broadband providers and telecom companies would be motivated to meddle in the accessibility of the Internet in order to demand payment from streaming services and social media, which challenged their previous business model.
