FCC net neutrality overview:
- Who: The Federal Communications Commission has voted to restore net neutrality and reestablish a national open internet standard.
- Why: The FCC said the decision will allow it to oversee telecommunications service and ensure broadband internet service “is treated as an essential service.”
- Where: The FCC’s decision to restore net neutrality open internet rules impacts consumers nationwide.
The Federal Communications Commission voted to restore net neutrality earlier this month by reestablishing a national open internet standard.
Coined the Broadband Jurisdiction, Reestablishing National Open Internet Standard, the rule reclassifies broadband services as a Title II telecommunications service that can be overseen by the commission, according to the FCC.
The vote undoes a 2017 decision made by a then-Republican controlled FCC to reverse net neutrality rules introduced by the agency during the Obama administration in 2015.
The now-Democratic controlled FCC said its decision to restore net neutrality gives it the ability to protect the open internet, safeguard national security and monitor internet service outages.
“Through its actions today, the Commission creates a national standard by which it can ensure that broadband internet service is treated as an essential service,” the FCC said in a press release announcing the decision.
FCC net neutrality to prohibit internet service providers from blocking, throttling lawful content
Under the open internet standard, service providers will once again be prohibited from “blocking, throttling or engaging in paid prioritization of lawful content,” according to the FCC, which said it was restoring the rule previously upheld by the D.C. Circuit in 2016.
The FCC will also again be able to revoke authorizations of foreign-owned entities to operate in the U.S. if they are deemed to pose a threat to national security, and have an active role during internet service outages, according to the agency.
“With today’s vote, the Commission restores fundamental authority to provide effective oversight over broadband service providers,” the FCC said.
The FCC announced last September that it planned to revert back to the net neutrality rules it created during the Obama administration.
“Despite overwhelming opposition from the public, the FCC repealed net neutrality. In fact, the FCC’s actions were so extreme the United States Senate voted to restore the agency’s open internet protections,” FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcell said, at the time.
How do you feel about the FCC’s decision to restore net neutrality? Let us know in the comments.
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