Net Neutrality: FCC Considers Who the Internet Belongs To

Published at 2:00 am, February 4, 2015

EastIdahoNews.com Staff

Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — The Federal Communications Commission is expected to rule in the coming weeks whether the Internet is a public utility in the same way electricity, gas, water and telephone services are regulated.

In other words: Your right to an open Internet may join a list of daily occurrences we take for granted, including flushing a toilet or turning on a light.

Tom Wheeler, chairman of the FCC, has not released his plan but is in the coming weeks expected to make proposals that could fundamentally change the way the FCC regulates the Internet. The next FCC meeting is scheduled on Feb. 26, and members are expected to vote on a proposal.

There’s been plenty of talk over the past year about net neutrality, also known as an open Internet. With a game-time decision seemingly imminent, here’s a quick breakdown of what’s at stake:

Cable Companies

While many Internet service providers say they’re committed to a free Internet, what they want from the FCC is more leeway for how they package and sell various Internet plans. Activists have rallied against the idea over the fear it could create toll roads on the so-called “information superhighway.”

Michael Powell, president and CEO of the National Cable and Telecommunications Association and the former chairman of the FCC, has previously said that over-regulation will not foster an even more open Internet.

What It Means for Consumers

Classifying the consumer broadband service as a public utility under Title II of the 1934 Communications Act would help control what consumers are charged and their access to Internet service, which would be deemed something critical to society.

In everyday terms, think of it this way: There won’t be any uneven service so everyone can stream their Netflix queue more or less at the same speeds. Supporters of net neutrality have also said that without regulation, a greater socio-economic digital divide could develop, creating a class of information “haves” and “have nots.”

The President Weighs In

Since the FCC is an independent body, President Obama has no direct oversight. However, it didn’t stop the commander-in-chief from weighing in on the matter of net neutrality last year.

Among the four basic points of the president’s plan are no blocking websites for certain users, no throttling (creating a fast and slow lane), more transparency between consumers and Internet service providers, and no paid prioritization to move to the front of the line.

SUBMIT A CORRECTION