The proposal could also lead to more of what has helped make net neutrality a household term over the past decade: Late-night segments by comedians including John Oliver and Stephen Colbert in-person demonstrations, including at the FCC’s headquarters and at the home of its chair allegations of fake, AstroTurfed public comments and claims of cyberattacks and even threats of violence. Rosenworcel also made the case that a single, national standard on net neutrality could give businesses the certainty they need to speed up efforts to blanket the nation in fast, affordable broadband.īut Rosenworcel’s push is already inviting a widespread revolt from internet providers that make up some of the most powerful and well-resourced groups in Washington. Net neutrality rules are more necessary than ever, Rosenworcel said in her speech, after millions of Americans discovered the vital importance of reliable internet access during the Covid-19 pandemic. 19 on whether to advance the draft rules by soliciting public feedback on them - a step that would precede the creation of any final rules.

“So keep in mind that when you construct these facilities, utility poles are really important.” “As a nation we are committed, post-pandemic, to building broadband for all,” she said. Regulating internet providers using the most powerful tools at the FCC’s disposal would let the agency crack down harder on spam robotexts, Rosenworcel said, as spammers are “constantly evolving their techniques.”Īnd the proposed rules could promote the Biden administration’s agenda to blanket the country in fast, affordable broadband, she argued, by granting internet providers the rights to put their equipment on telephone poles. “Does that really make sense? Do we want our broadband providers selling off where we go and what we do online?” She added that traditional telephone companies currently cannot sell customer data, but those restrictions do not apply to ISPs, which are regulated differently. Rosenworcel argued, “without reclassification, the FCC has limited authority to incorporate updated cybersecurity standards into our network policies.” Rosenworcel said reclassifying internet service providers as essential telecommunications entities - by regulating them under Title II of the FCC’s congressional charter - would provide the FCC with clearer authority to adopt future rules governing everything from public safety to national security. Some of the priorities the FCC could address after the implementation of net neutrality rules include spam robotexts, internet outages, digital privacy and high-speed internet access, said Rosenworcel in a speech at the National Press Club Tuesday to announce the proposal. With Tuesday’s proposal, the FCC aims to restore Obama-era regulations that the FCC under Republican leadership rolled back during the Trump administration.īut the proposal is likely to trigger strong pushback from internet providers who have spent years fighting earlier versions of the rules in court.īeyond their immediate impact to internet providers, the draft rules directly help US telecom regulators address a range of consumer issues in the longer run by allowing the FCC to bring its most powerful legal tools to bear, Rosenworcel said. In addition to the prohibitions on blocking and throttling internet traffic, the draft rules also seek to prevent ISPs from selectively speeding up service to favored websites or to those that agree to pay extra fees, Rosenworcel said, a move designed to prevent the emergence of “fast lanes” on the web that could give some websites a paid advantage over others. The rules would ban internet service providers (ISPs) from blocking or slowing down access to websites and online content. The proposed rules from the Federal Communications Commission will designate internet service - both the wired kind found in homes and businesses as well as mobile data on cellphones - as “essential telecommunications” akin to traditional telephone services, said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. The US government aims to restore sweeping regulations for high-speed internet providers such as AT&T, Comcast and Verizon, reviving “net neutrality” rules for the broadband industry - and an ongoing debate about the internet’s future.

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