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Today the FCC voted to officially propose an order<\/a> that would eliminate net neutrality rules as we know them. To be clear, the rules are not being adopted today \u2014 that vote will be about three months from now, during which time the proposal is<\/em> open for comment.<\/p>\n \u201cToday, we propose to repeal utility-style regulation of the Internet,\u201d Chairman Ajit Pai said in a statement. \u201cWe propose to return to the Clinton-era light-touch framework that has proven to be successful.\u00a0 And we propose to put technologists and engineers, rather than lawyers and accountants, at the center of the online world.\u201d<\/p>\n That technologists and engineers overwhelmingly support net neutrality seems lost on the Chairman. There is hardly an internet-based company that hasn\u2019t come out in favor of the rules as they stand; over 800 startups and signed an open letter<\/a> saying just that in April, and hundreds more have been added since.<\/p>\n The proposed rule would remove the classification of broadband as a telecommunications service governed by Title II of the Telecommunications Act, which gives the FCC broad powers to regulate internet service providers. Critics argue that this approach is overkill and could scare away investment or result in a government-controlled internet (the refutation of these arguments will be handled at length in a separate article).<\/p>\n It would also remove the \u201cgeneral conduct\u201d rule and reclassify mobile broadband so it won\u2019t be a telecommunication service either. That\u2019s all sort of moot, though, since without the authority of Title II, the rules aren\u2019t worth the paper they\u2019re printed on.<\/p>\n But this isn\u2019t the end of the process; we\u2019re smack dab in the middle. How it works is a little convoluted, but that\u2019s sort of the rule when it comes to making (or unmaking) federal regulations.<\/p>\n First comes the \u201cnotice of proposed rulemaking,\u201d or NPRM, which lays out what they\u2019d like to do and identifies areas where they need input or data. That\u2019s what there have been over a million comments on over the last month or so.<\/p>\n Then, based on that information, they put together the actual order and vote on whether it should be proposed \u2014 this is the stage we\u2019re at now, and the full document should be available shortly. <\/p>\n Next comes a three-month comment period, during which we can submit notes of support or opposition to the rule \u2014 and they can be a little more specific now that the questions in the NPRM have been answered. Note that the FCC asked for this input and will check it out, but they\u2019re not obliged in any way to change the rule or their votes based on public opinion.<\/p>\n At some point in the next couple months the FCC will vote on whether to adopt the rule. At this point there should be a date set for when the rule will come into effect. If anyone wants to challenge the rule on legal grounds, this is their chance; it happened with the original Open Internet Order, though the challenges were struck down and the rule took effect as planned.<\/p>\n Senator Brian Schatz, whom I spoke with on this topic<\/a> ahead of the NPRM\u2019s release, issued a statement calling the Chairman to task:<\/p>\n While Chairman Pai seems to have made his decision to get rid of these rules before starting the proceedings in earnest, he has an obligation to keep an open mind in this process, and take seriously the comments from the public. I plan to hold him to that obligation\u2014to make sure that the people who weigh in are heard, as they should be.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The next few months will be just as fierce a battle as the last one, you can be sure of that. And as Commissioner Clyburn said earlier this week at Disrupt, \u201cnet neutrality is doomed if we remain silent.\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019ll update this story with the best way to comment and make your voice heard as soon as that information is available. I\u2019ll also be looking closely at the proposal itself as soon as it is made publicly available.<\/p>\n Featured Image: Mark Van Scyoc<\/a>\/Shutterstock<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n
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Today the FCC voted to officially propose an order that would eliminate net neutrality rules as we know them. To be clear, the rules are not being adopted today — that vote will be about three months from now, during which time the proposal is open for comment. Read More<\/a><\/p>\n\n<\/img><\/a>
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