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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