WASHINGTON >> The FCC gave a huge gift to internet service providers just in time for the holidays as it voted to repeal net neutrality rules Thursday, potentially ushering in a drastic change to the internet as we know it.
As expected — and after a brief delay during which the room was evacuated because of security concerns — the majority-Republican commission voted 3 to 2 to gut net neutrality, the principle that all online traffic should be treated equally. The regulations, which prohibit the establishment of fast and slow lanes on the internet and preferential treatment of content, were approved in 2015 under former President Obama.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai, elevated to his position this year by President Trump, has long opposed the regulations, and voted against the Open Internet Order a couple of years ago when he was commissioner. Now he has succeeded in undoing the hard-fought rules, which came after years of legislative and legal battles — and which are now likely to rise again.
Pai and the ISP industry say the rules have hindered broadband investment and innovation. Opponents say that’s not true, and are worried that broadband providers will be able to lawfully block, slow or censor content.
The broadband industry and its allies are trying to reassure consumers, and accuses the opposition of exaggerating the harms of rolling back the rules.
“Please take a deep breath,” said Michael O’Rielly, one of the FCC’s Republican commissioners, said Thursday before the vote. His fellow Republican commissioner, Brendan Carr, dismissed what he called “apocalyptic” talk.
“We do not and will not block, throttle, or discriminate against lawful content,” said David Cohen, executive vice president for Comcast, in a blog post.
But proponents of the rules think that without net neutrality rules in place, broadband providers could raise costs for small businesses and consumers. For example, they foresee paid prioritization, and a degrading of services consumers have grown to love.
“The FCC vote to end net neutrality is a blow to binge watchers and the streaming services they love,” said Chip Pickering, a former Republican congressman who now heads Incompas, a tech trade group, in a statement Thursday.
The vote in Washington, held during the FCC’s open meeting, went ahead despite calls from lawmakers (including Republicans), internet pioneers, tech companies, consumers, advocacy groups and others to delay or cancel it. Protesters were gathered outside the FCC’s Washington’s office ahead of the vote, capping protests nationwide that had been going on since Pai announced his plan Nov. 21. There were no public hearings on the matter.
“This decision puts the Federal Communications Commission on the wrong side of history, the wrong side of the law, and the wrong side of the American public,” said Jessica Rosenworcel, one of the FCC’s two Democratic commissioners — she and fellow Democratic commissioner Mignon Clyburn voted no — right before the vote.
