Net neutrality rules swept back in US; tech groups oppose vote

Washington, December 15 

US regulators voted to rollback “net neutrality” rules that require Internet providers to treat all traffic equally. The Federal Communications Commission, in a 3-2 vote, adopted a proposal by Republican appointed chairman Indian-American Ajit Pai.

By doing so, the Republican-majority commission has reversed the 2015 “net-neutrality” ruled of the previous Obama Administration, which mandated upon all Internet service providers to treat all traffic equally, without blocking or showing content.

The decision restores the longstanding, bipartisan light-touch regulatory framework that has fostered rapid Internet growth, openness, and freedom for nearly 20 years, the FCC said in a statement after the voting.

Pai and others in favour of the decision argued the deregulation of the internet would spur innovation, and that the Federal Trade Commission would have the authority to sue providers who abuse competition on the web.

The critics say the move is against the interest of the consumers and favours big corporate companies. Technology firms and consumer advocacy groups in the US are planning to challenge telecom regulators’ decision on Obama-era net neutrality rules. 

It will take weeks for the repeal to go into effect, but the political and legal fight started immediately. Numerous Democrats called for a Bill that would re-establish the rules, and several Democratic state attorneys general said they would file a suit to stop the change.

Several public interest groups, including Public Knowledge and the National Hispanic Media Coalition, also promised to file a suit. The Internet Association, the trade group that represents big tech firms such as Google and Facebook, said it also was considering legal action.

“The @FCC’s vote to gut #NetNeutrality rules is a body blow to innovation and free expression,” Twitter Public Policy said in a tweet. — PTI

How key players are placed in net web

• There are three major players caught in net neutrality’s web: Tech companies, ISPs and consumers. The first two groups have the same goal: make money. The final group, consumers, has a rival goal: save money. And even though tech companies and ISPs both dream of the same conclusion, they have disparate views on net neutrality.
• Now that net neutrality rules have been dismantled, the Internet monolith faces the possibility of paying higher fees to access high-speed lanes. This is one reason Google, Apple, Facebook, Twitter and other major companies have been so loudly opposed to the destruction of net neutrality 
• ISPs, on the other hand, want the ability to charge these higher fees. Not only does the FCC’s ruling open the path for ISPs to institute multiple Internet speed lanes, but it also allows them to engage in previously banned practices like throttling, blocking and paid prioritisation

Repeal gives Dems fresh way to reach millennials

• The vote to roll back net neutrality rules could galvanise young voters, a move Democrats hope will send millennials to the polls in greater numbers and bolster their chances in next year’s elections
• Democrats are hoping to paint the repeal of the rules by the FCC  as evidence Republicans are uninterested in young people and consumer concerns at large
• The scrapping of the Obama time rules is likely to set up a court battle and could redraw the digital landscape, with Internet service providers revising how Americans view online content