FCC Votes To Restore Net Neutrality Rules

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted 3-2 on Thursday to reinstate net neutrality rules that were rolled back in 2017 during the Trump administration. The vote restores the 2015 open internet rules and grants the FCC new regulatory authority over broadband services.

Net neutrality is the principle that internet service providers (ISPs) should treat all online content and applications equally, without favoring or blocking specific websites or products. The FCC’s move to reinstate these rules comes after a 3-2 vote last October that advanced the proposal to restore open internet protections.

President Joe Biden has been a strong advocate for reinstating net neutrality, signing an executive order in July 2021 that encouraged the FCC to bring back the rules established under the Obama administration. However, Democrats faced challenges in pushing this agenda due to not having majority control of the FCC until last October.

Under the Trump administration, the FCC argued that net neutrality rules stifled innovation and led to decreased investment in broadband infrastructure. These claims were disputed by Democrats who argued for the importance of preserving an open and fair internet.

Despite the 2017 repeal of federal net neutrality rules, several states have taken matters into their own hands by implementing their own net neutrality laws. As of now, a dozen states have enacted net neutrality regulations, with industry groups dropping legal challenges against these state requirements in May 2022.

While some industry associations, such as the Computer & Communications Industry Association, support the reinstatement of net neutrality rules to preserve open access to the internet, others like USTelecom have criticized the effort as unnecessary and counterproductive.

The successful FCC vote marks a significant step toward restoring net neutrality protections and ensuring that the internet remains an open platform for all users.