It’s the end of the world wide web as we know it.
It’s the end of the World Wide Web as we know it.
Net neutrality could go the way of MySpace and floppy disks if the new head of the Federal Communications Commission has his way.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai unveiled his controversial plan Tuesday to repeal Obama-era protections intended to keep the internet open and fair.
« Under my proposal, the federal government will stop micromanaging the Internet, » Pai said in a statement. « Instead, the FCC would simply require Internet service providers to be transparent about their practices. »
FCC planning to scrap Obama-era net neutrality rules
A repeal would set in motion a seismic shift in the way the internet is regulated. Under current net neutrality rules, approved in 2015, internet providers like Comcast and AT&T are not allowed to play favorites with specific web sites or apps by slowing down or speeding up traffic.
Critics responded quickly.
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman called the proposal a « massive scheme to corrupt » efforts to ensure a fair and open internet.
« In an era where foreign governments have indisputably tried to use the internet and social media to influence our elections, federal and state governments should be working together to ensure that malevolent actors cannot subvert our administrative agencies’ decision-making processes, » Schneiderman wrote in an open letter to Pai.
Here’s the lowdown on tomorrow’s internet Net Neutrality showdown
Supporters of net neutrality said a repeal would allow companies to charge even more for internet service and block access to certain websites
« #NetNeutrality is critical to ensuring the internet remains a place where people can come together, make their voices heard, & make change, » tweeted (D-Wash.). »We have to fight back. »
« Taking away #NetNeutrality is the Authoritarian dream, » said actor Mark Ruffalo. « Consolidating information into the hands of a few controlled by a few. Dangerous territory. »
The proposal from Pai, a Republican, is expected to be approved during a Dec. 14 meeting. Three of the five commission members are Republican, although a legal challenge is expected.
