The Internet once again finds itself in court today, as the Federal Communications Commission defends its decision to repeal net neutrality rules put in place by the Obama administration.
Obama’s FCC had imposed a strict set of regulations on Internet providers to ensure they wouldn’t be able to prioritize certain websites and apps over others. Trump’s FCC repealed those rules, preferring a more hands-off approach that would let Internet companies charge websites for faster access to customers. Several consumer groups, technology companies and Democratic-led states challenged the FCC’s decision.
The legal arguments are highly technical, focusing on whether the FCC acted properly when it classified the Internet as a lightly regulated “information service” — as opposed to a “telecommunications service,” which is subject to stringent rules. The challengers will argue that the FCC has abandoned its mandate to ensure a free and open Internet.
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