FCC Net Neutrality Order Strengthened, Poised for Passage

"The net neutrality rules the Federal Communications Commission appears poised to approve tomorrow morning will go farther than originally expected to prevent Internet service providers from playing favorites with the content traveling on their data networks, according to two senior FCC officials.

"Speaking with reporters on the eve of the vote, the officials said that Chairman Julius Genachowski and his staff have been working with fellow Democratic Commissioners Michael Copps and Mignon Clyburn to strengthen the rules and secure their support. Copps and Clyburn had expressed concern that the final order would not go far enough, but both are now apparently planning to vote in the affirmative tomorrow, giving Genachowski the three-person majority needed to win approval of the order.

"Specifically, the officials said that the order will not leave the door open to paid prioritization agreements between content and service providers, but rather will include specific language cautioning against such arrangements, and require service providers to demonstrate that they meet baseline criteria in a new nondiscrimination rule."

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