The Federal Communications Commission announced today plans to launch a new attempt at bringing ‘net neutrality’ to reality.
The FCC has tried to stop Internet providers from limiting Americans’ access to the web, but a ruling last month struck down the last attempt at net neutrality, saying that the commission can’t force providers to treat all online traffic the same.
In January, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit struck down net neutrality, but the ruling did leave the door open for the FCC to write up some Internet regulations.
Rather than appeal the ruling, FCC chairman Tom Wheeler has come up with a new plan to enforce net neutrality. According to The Washington Post, the FCC will reveal its new rules to stop Internet providers from blocking or slowing traffic to certain sites.
“Innovators cannot be judged on their own merits if they are unfairly prevented from harnessing the full power of the Internet,” Wheeler said in a statement. His proposals include strengthening the transparency rule, ensuring that providers will be more open about their traffic practices.
“The FCC must stand strongly behind its responsibility to oversee the public interest standard and ensure that the Internet remains open and fair,” Wheeler said. “The Internet is and must remain the greatest engine of free expression, innovation, economic growth, and opportunity the world has ever known.”
According to The Washington Post, Republican FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly voiced against the continued pursuit of net neutrality.
“Instead of fostering investment and innovation through deregulation, the FCC will be devoting its resources to adopting new rules without any evidence that consumers are unable to access the content of their choice,” O’Reilly said.
image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
