While the new-look Federal Communications Commission is well on its way to undoing its own, relatively new, net neutrality rules that prevent companies like Verizon, Comcast, and AT&T from determining what you see and do online, lawmakers in the Senate have introduced legislation that would not only roll these rules back but also prevent the FCC from ever trying anything similar. [More]
neutering neutrality
Senate Bill Would Roll Back Net Neutrality, Prevent FCC From Ever Trying It Again
By 5.2.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Cable Industry Doesn’t Understand Net Neutrality, Wants Netflix Investigated For Throttling
By 3.28.16
The core tenet of “net neutrality” is that Internet service providers — the Comcasts, Time Warner Cables, and Verizons of the world — can’t do anything to block, limit, or expedite users’ access to content. Regardless of whether it’s a video stream or a PDF, these carriers should be delivering the content as quickly as they advertise. And even though the cable industry is currently fighting net neutrality in court, it apparently has no understanding of that basic underlying principle. [More]
29 U.S. Lawmakers Agree: Don’t Gut Net Neutrality Again
By 9.21.15
The Federal Communications Commission is currently (and once again) locked in a legal battle with the telecom industry over net neutrality — the idea that Internet service providers should treat online traffic equally, regardless of what’s being sent and who’s sending or receiving it. In advance of a Dec. 4 hearing on this appeal, a group of 29 federal legislators has let its position be known. [More]
FCC: Net Neutrality Doesn’t Violate Internet Service Providers’ First Amendment Rights
By 9.18.15
About a week after the FCC narrowly voted to approve new net neutrality rules that prevent Internet service providers from deciding which types of online content get preferential or detrimental treatment, the telecom industry was ready with lawsuits. One of those plaintiffs argues that net neutrality is a restriction on ISPs’ First Amendment right to free expression, but the FCC counters that this is like trying to claim that your TV or radio have their own constitutionally protected rights to free speech. [More]
Court Will Hear Arguments Against Net Neutrality In December
By 8.4.15
Though the telecom and cable industry was unable to prevent new net neutrality rules from kicking in earlier this summer, the legal battle over the FCC’s authority to regulate broadband continues. A federal appeals court has agreed to hear arguments in the matter later this year. [More]
Budget Proposal Seeks To Prevent FCC From Enforcing Net Neutrality
By 6.10.15
The latest attempt at net neutrality rules are slated to kick in later this week, but a federal budget proposal by the House Appropriations Committee would not only cut into the FCC’s resources, but prohibit the Commission from enforcing the new regulations, along with stripping its ability to regulate things like fees and data caps. [More]
14 House Members Sign On To Resolution To Block Net Neutrality
By 4.14.15
While the telecom and broadband industries move to fight net neutrality in court, lawmakers — at least one of whom has received substantial financial backing by neutrality opponents — are moving forward with their plans to strike down the FCC’s new regulations. Yesterday, more than a dozen members of Congress all signed on to a new resolution that would block the new neutrality rules from taking effect. [More]
No Surprise Here. Telecom Industry Sues To Block Net Neutrality Rules
By 3.23.15
A little more than a week after the FCC released the full text of its recently passed Open Internet (aka net neutrality) rule, the telecom industry has done exactly what you’d expect, by filing lawsuits to block the Commission from enforcing the order. [More]
