Trump’s FCC chairman issues plan to overturn 2015 “net neutrality” rules
By
Kevin Reed
29 April 2017
The Trump administration’s Federal Communication Commission (FCC) chairman, Ajit Pai, released a draft proposal on Thursday for overturning net neutrality regulations that the agency adopted in 2015. Net neutrality is the principle that the transmission of data over the Internet must be treated equally, without regard to content, purpose or originating source.
Under the terms of the 2015 Obama-era FCC “Open Internet Order,” companies that own the infrastructure and provide broadband Internet cable and wireless services cannot slow, block or prioritize online content. Additionally, they cannot provide faster delivery of content from companies that are willing to pay more for it.
In its notice of rule changes entitled “Restoring Internet Freedom,” the FCC draft proposal calls for an end to the 2015 “regulatory approach that gives government control of the Internet and to restore the market-based policies necessary to preserve the future of Internet Freedom …” In other words, for the Trump administration a “free and open Internet” is synonymous with removing any restrictions on corporations and has nothing to do with the access and privacy issues confronting the public.
At the heart of the draft proposal is elimination of what is known as Title II public utility-style regulation of broadband Internet Service Providers (IPSs). Under Title II rules, telecommunications giants like Verizon, AT&T, Time Warner, Charter/Spectrum and Comcast are regulated as “common carrier services.” This means that their policies and practices are subject to FCC review based on “just and reasonable” and “public good” considerations.
The FCC’s new draft…