The FCC Chair's Latest Plan is at the Center of a Firestorm over Net Neutrality
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai's plan to toss out rules that prevent Internet service providers (ISPs) from blocking or throttling traffic and selling Internet fast lanes is at the center of a public firestorm over net neutrality.
While much of the regulatory framework governing network neutrality involves dry technocratic language about classifying broadband under either Title I or Title II of the Communications Act, the prospect of an ISP throttling someone's Neftlix (NFLX) - Get Report or YouTube streams resonates. Large ISPs such as Comcast (CMCSA) - Get Report and AT&T (T) - Get Report have said they do not plan to block or throttle accounts.
The proposed rules landed on the FCC web site Wednesday, and will face a vote by Pai and the other FCC commissioners on Dec. 14 (Pai and his supporters hold a majority so it's very likely the rules will pass). In place of an outright ban on blocking traffic and other anti-consumer activity, Pai favors a "transparency rule" that requires a broadband provider to disclose whenever it blocks or throttles content, or gives priority to certain traffic.
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