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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