FCC Approves First Net Neutrality Rules

"The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday voted on party lines to approve rules that would prohibit Internet service providers from unreasonable discrimination against lawful content on their networks, the first time the agency has enacted binding net neutrality regulations.

"In a three-to-two vote and ahead of forceful opposition from the Republicans on the panel, the FCC approved Chairman Julius Genachowski's open Internet framework, though many advocacy groups, and his fellow Democratic commissioners, said the rules don't go far enough to prevent ISPs from playing favorites with their network traffic.

"Genachowski billed the order as a compromise, the culmination of more than a year of negotiations among the FCC, lawmakers and industry and advocacy groups. Genachowski said that the long-running debate, which was revived in earnest with the FCC's move last October to initiate the rulemaking proceeding that culminated today, "has often produced more heat than light.""

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