FCC outlines plans to dismantle net

neutrality rules that govern Internet

By Dominic Rushe, The Guardian, adapted by Newsela sta on 11.27.17
Word Count 858
Level 1100L

In this Friday, Jan. 17, 2014, photo, a person displays Netix on a tablet in North Andover, Mass. Photo by: Elise Amendola/AP
Photo.

The top U.S. government ocial in charge of telecommunications has unveiled major new plans.
It has proposed new rules to overturn Obama-era rules designed to protect an open Internet.

An open Internet meant that Internet service providers like AT&T and Verizon had to treat all
websites equally. Government regulation by the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC,
ordered this. This limited the exibility of plans from Internet service providers.

Ajit Pai is the head of the FCC. He plans to undo "net neutrality" regulations that were
championed by technology companies and consumer advocates. The rules have been heavily
criticized by Internet service providers and Pai.

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Pai said that the government will no longer tell Internet service providers what they should do.
The Obama-era rules, he said, stopped Internet service providers from making new services and
applications that might increase competition. He added that the Obama administration tried to
pick winners and losers and exercised "heavy-handed" regulation of the Internet.

The government's rules should only be simple guidelines, he said. "Let consumers decide who
wins and loses.

Battle Brewing Before FCC Vote In December

The move is likely to spark a furious battle before the FCCs vote on the proposals on December
14. About 21 million comments were submitted to the regulator as it discussed the proposals.
Activists have ooded legislators with more than 250,000 calls condemning Pais plans. The
FCCs plans will be challenged in court.

Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi called the decision "an all-out assault" on the new ideas and the
competition that made the Internet what it is today. While Pai and the FCC say their moves will
increase competition between Internet service providers, Pelosi is concerned about limiting
competition between Internet companies and websites. Giving Internet service providers more
control could make it harder for small Internet companies to grow.

What Is Net Neutrality?

Net neutrality is the principle that all trac on the Internet is treated equally. Its supporters argue
that equal access to the Internet has been essential in creating the ever-changing online world we
have today.

The FCC wants to overturn rules established in 2015. These rules prevent broadband companies
from charging more for internet "fast lanes" for some content and from blocking or slowing other
content. Critics charge that removing the rules will hand Internet service providers control of the
Internet. It would allow them to pick winners and losers by slowing some services while making
other services faster.

In other words, they might treat the Internet like a cable TV package. Instead of getting every
website, you pick which websites matter to you and you will only pay for those.

Repeal Of Rules Would Benet Internet Providers

Getting rid of the current laws will be a major victory for the broadband and cable industry. Both
industries fought through the courts to stop the net neutrality regulations. They and Pai, a former
lawyer for Verizon, have argued the rules are unnecessary and expensive for Internet providers.
They claim that the rules slow creativity and make it harder to make money.

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Pai spoke about the creation of the net neutrality rules earlier this year. He said that we didn't
need the rules and that there's no real harm in getting rid of them.

The ght has divided the tech world and comes as cable providers are moving to take control of
more and more online content. On Monday the Justice Department sued to block AT&Ts
takeover of Time Warner. The deal would hand AT&T control of CNN, HBO, Warner Bros., and
other businesses.

AT&T Would Gain A Monopoly On Services

If the deal goes through, it will make AT&T "vertically integrated." This means that it owns the
Internet and TV service, plus the TV shows and movies shown on the service. When making a
case against AT&T, the justice department cited comments from AT&T's own DirecTV satellite
business. DirecTV has said that vertical integration can be bad, because it lets service providers
refuse to share programming with rival companies. For example, if AT&T takes control of CNN, it
can decide that no other TV company can show CNN.

Amazon, Etsy, Google, Reddit, Wikipedia and other tech companies have all called for the
protection of net neutrality. They argue that it's essential. It creates the fair playing eld that has
allowed so many new ideas to succeed online.

Groups Plan Protests At Verizon Stores

Free speech groups are worried too. They say the FCCs latest moves could lead to censorship
online. A series of protests are planned for December 7, the week before the FCC vote, at
Verizon stores nationwide.

Evan Greer works for Fight for the Future, which is organizing the protest. "This is the free speech
ght of our generation, and Internet users are pissed o and paying attention," she said.

"Ajit Pai may be owned by Verizon, but he has to answer to Congress, and lawmakers have to
answer" to the voters, she said. Politicians trying to kill net neutrality are trying to hide the news by
announcing it over the holiday weekend, she added. "Were taking our protest from the Internet to
the streets to make sure that doesnt happen."

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