The Federal Communications Commission voted on Thursday to restore regulations that expand government oversight of broadband providers and aim to protect consumer access to the internet, a move that will reignite a long-running battle over the open internet.
The rules were repealed under President Donald J. Trump, and have proved to be a contentious partisan issue over the years while pitting tech giants against broadband providers.
In a 3-to-2 vote along party lines, the five-member commission appointed by President Biden revived the rules that declare broadband a utility-like service regulated like phones and water.
the ability to demand broadband providers report and respond to outages, as well as expand the agency’s oversight of the providers’ security issues.
and a Democrat, said the rules reflected the importance of high-speed internet as the main mode of communications for many Americans.
“Every consumer deserves internet access that is fast, open and fair,” Ms. Rosenworcel said.
“This is common sense.” Broadband providers are expected to sue to try to overturn the reinstated rules.
“This is a nonissue for broadband consumers, who have enjoyed an open internet for decades,” said Jonathan Spalter, the president of a broadband lobbying group, USTelecom.
The long-running debate over the open internet will flare up again after the Federal Communications Commission voted on Thursday to reinstate rules that increase government control over broadband providers and safeguard customer access to the internet.
The rules, known as “net neutrality,” were first implemented almost ten years ago during the Obama administration. Their goal is to stop ISPs, such as Comcast or Verizon, from obstructing or reducing the quality of the services that rivals like Netflix and YouTube offer. President Donald J. Trump cancelled the regulations. Trump, and have shown to be a divisive political issue over time, dividing internet giants from broadband providers.
The five-member commission that President Biden appointed reinstated the regulations that classify broadband as a utility-like service subject to the same regulations as phones and water in a party-line vote of three to two. Additionally, the rules provide the F. D. C. the authority to request that internet service providers disclose and address outages, as well as to increase the agency’s monitoring of the security risks associated with the providers.
The chair of the F.A. is Jessica Rosenworcel. C. C. and a Democrat, claimed that the regulations represented the reality that many Americans rely on high-speed internet as their primary means of communication.
According to Ms. Rosenworcel, “every consumer deserves internet access that is fast, open, and fair.”. This makes sense. “.
Anticipate lawsuits from broadband providers seeking to overturn the regulations that have been reinstated.
According to Jonathan Spalter, president of the broadband advocacy group USTelecom, “broadband users, who have enjoyed an open internet for decades, have no problem with this.”. The group declared that it would “seek remedies through all channels, including legal action.”. “.
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