Net neutrality repeal

Net neutrality repeal: Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and internet providers react.



FCC overturns net neutrality regulations

The vote to roll back net neutrality rules on Thursday was slammed by tech giants like Amazon, Facebook and Netflix. But the move was applauded by internet service providers.

The Republican-led Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 to repeal regulations aimed at protecting net neutrality -- rules that ensure internet providers can't deliberately speed up or slow down traffic from specific websites or apps. Nor can they put their own content at an advantage over rivals. The rules were first put in place under President Obama in 2015.

Nothing is set in stone yet. The repeal isn't set to take effect until next year. The issue may ultimately end up being decided in court, and Congress may step in with a legislative solution.

A recent poll by the University of Maryland's School of Public Policy found net neutrality rules have broad support among consumers -- 83% to be exact.

Here's what some companies and business leaders had to say after Thursday's vote.

Amazon Chief Technology Officer Werner Vogels

"I am extremely disappointed in the FCC decision to remove the #NetNeutrality protections," Vogels wrote on Twitter. "We'll continue to work with our peers, partners and customers to find ways to ensure an open and fair internet that can continue to drive massive innovation."

I am extremely disappointed in the FCC decision to remove the #NetNeutrality protections. We'll continue to work with our peers, partners and customers to find ways to ensure an open and fair internet that can continue to drive massive innovation. https://t.co/0NjoNr90A4— Werner Vogels (@Werner) December 14, 2017

Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg

"Today's decision from the Federal Communications Commission to end net neutrality is disappointing and harmful. An open internet is critical for new ideas and economic opportunity -- and internet providers shouldn't be able to decide what people can see online or charge more for certain websites," Sandberg wrote on Facebook. "We're ready to work with members of Congress and others to help make the internet free and open for everyone."

Microsoft Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith

"The open internet benefits consumers, business & the entire economy," Smith wrote. "That's jeopardized by the FCC's elimination of #netneutrality protections today."

The open internet benefits consumers, business & the entire economy. That's jeopardized by the FCC's elimination of #netneutrality protections today.— Brad Smith (@BradSmi) December 14, 2017

Netflix

"We're disappointed in the decision to gut #NetNeutrality protections that ushered in an unprecedented era of innovation, creativity & civic engagement," read a tweet posted on Netflix's verified account. "This is the beginning of a longer legal battle. Netflix stands w/ innovators, large & small, to oppose this misguided FCC order."

We're disappointed in the decision to gut #NetNeutrality protections that ushered in an unprecedented era of innovation, creativity & civic engagement. This is the beginning of a longer legal battle. Netflix stands w/ innovators, large & small, to oppose this misguided FCC order.— Netflix US (@netflix) December 14, 2017

Reddit Co-Founder Alexis Ohanian

"We cannot let this happen to our internet in the US," Ohanian tweeted. "We must keep fighting for #NetNeutrality."

We cannot let this happen to our internet in the US.
We must keep fighting for #NetNeutrality https://t.co/fUYTbO9r3s— Alexis Ohanian Sr. (@alexisohanian) December 14, 2017

Vimeo

"It's disheartening that the #FCC chose to ignore the public and approve a policy that benefits the few and powerful at the expense of creators, and the stories they work to tell," the company posted on Twitter. "We look forward to challenging this misguided decision in court. #NetNeutrality"

It's disheartening that the #FCC chose to ignore the public and approve a policy that benefits the few and powerful at the expense of creators, and the stories they work to tell. We look forward to challenging this misguided decision in court. #NetNeutrality— Vimeo (@Vimeo) December 14, 2017

Not everyone is behind the net neutrality rules. Internet service providers like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast have a lot to gain from loosened regulations. (AT&T is seeking to acquire Time Warner, the parent company of CNN).

AT&T

"We do not block websites, nor censor online content, nor throttle or degrade traffic based on the content, nor unfairly discriminate in our treatment of internet traffic," the company said in a statement. "These principles, which were laid out in the FCC's 2010 Open Internet Order and fully supported by AT&T, are clearly articulated on our website and are fully enforceable against us. In short, the internet will continue to work tomorrow just as it always has."

AT&T Statement on @FCC Vote to Restore Internet Freedom https://t.co/OY7rOKdxz8 #OpenInternet #NetNeutrality— AT&T Public Policy (@ATTPublicPolicy) December 14, 2017

Verizon Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Will Johnson

"Verizon fully supports the open Internet, and we will continue to do so," Johnson said in an emailed statement. "Our customers demand it and our business depends on it."

The USTelecom and Broadband Association

"Today, the future of our open, thriving internet has been secured," the group, which represents companies including AT&T and Verizon, wrote. "America's broadband providers -- who have long supported net neutrality protections and have committed to continuing to do so -- will have renewed confidence to make the investments required to strengthen the nation's networks and close the digital divide, especially in rural communities."

by Jackie Wattles @jackiewattles December 14, 2017: 6:18 PM ET
CNN Tech's Seth Fiegerman contributed to this report.
CNNMoney (New York) First published December 14, 2017: 5:03 PM ET

Net Neutrality

End net neutrality. Federal meddling can't improve the Internet.

The Obama-era regulation might come to an end. Time

Trump's FCC chairman wants to return the Internet to those dark, authoritarian days when every website, app and online service we use was created.



(Photo: Mary Altaffer, AP)
CONNECTTWEET 40 LINKEDIN 23 COMMENTEMAILMORE

My teenage daughters were in a panic. "Why is Trump trying to ruin the Internet?" one asked. "My favorite websites will be shut down!" her sister added.

They had watched the panicked reactions of their favorite YouTube "stars" and other third-tier celebs to the proposal by Ajit Pai, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, to end the net neutrality rules created two years ago.

Net neutrality is one of those big government ideas that sounds great in theory but creates new problems in execution.

More: Net neutrality repeal means you're going to hate your cable company even more

More: Protect net neutrality and Internet freedom: World Wide Web inventor

The net neutrality concept is that all traffic on the Internet should be treated equally. Your broadband provider can't block certain websites or slow down the applications you use. They also shouldn't create "fast lanes" that force high-bandwidth services such as Netflix or Hulu to pay an extra fee to deliver their content more quickly than the other guys.
How will 400 pages of legalese help?

To this end, the Obama administration reclassified broadband as a telecommunications service and subjected the industry to creaky regulations written back in 1934 to rein in Ma Bell. This being government, it took them 400 pages of turgid legalese to accomplish this.

Following decades of exploding Internet growth, the government interjected itself with a barrage of new rules to stop an imaginary threat. As Pai put it, net neutrality “is a solution that won't work to a problem that simply doesn't exist."

Now he wants the government to cut the red tape and let the Internet thrive as it did before the 2015 rules were enacted.

Being the Trump era, celebrities jumped on Twitter to react with, what else, outrage. “We will never go back to a free Internet,” warned Kumail Nanjiani‏ of Silicon Valley (the HBO show, not the tech capital).

“Net neutrality means Trump can change the Internet!” Cher shrieked.

“Taking away #NetNeutrality is the authoritarian dream,” actor Mark Ruffalo intoned.
Do they REALLY want Trump in charge?

If President Trump is some kind of digital facist, he sure has a funny way of going about it.

His FCC chairman is trying to remove government from the Internet, returning it to those dark, authoritarian days of 30 months ago — you know, when pretty much every website, app and online service we use was created.

Bizarrely, these net neutrality alarmists are demanding that Trump maintain control of the Internet, planting his administration firmly between citizens and whatever content they want to view or create.

Even if Democrats were running the show in Washington, how could federal meddling improve the Internet? Do they want the Web run by the bureaucrats who spent $2 billion to build a health care website that didn't work? Do they want our privacy assured by those behind the National Security Agency?

More: Wozniak & Copps: Ending net neutrality will end the Internet as we know it

POLICING THE USA: A look at race, justice, media

Nevertheless, progressives insist that Trump regulate the Internet in the name of free speech. Perhaps he can do this between his tweets bashing the press.
Let real experts control the Internet

If the FCC approves this new proposal, the worst of federal meddling online will be retired. Instead, the commission will simply require Internet service providers to be transparent about their service offerings. That way, tech innovators will have the information they need and consumers will know which plan works best for them.

In other words, Web users and creators will be back in control of the Internet instead of lawyers and bureaucrats. Just as they were for all but the past couple of years.

To ensure transparency, Pai made all his proposals public before the FCC vote Thursday. A big departure from the Obama administration’s methods, which kept its net neutrality rules secret until after they were approved.

Before the FCC’s heavy-handed intervention, we saw the creation of Amazon, Google and Twitter. If Washington removes these unnecessary regulations as expected, we’ll see the Internet continue to blossom.

And my daughters will get to watch their favorite YouTube celebrities complain about net neutrality for years to come.

Jon Gabriel is editor in chief of Ricochet.com and a contributor to The Arizona Republic, where this piece first appeared. Follow him on Twitter: @exjon

You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @USATOpinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com.

USA Today Network Jon Gabriel, The Arizona Republic Opinion Published 3:15 a.m. ET Dec. 13, 2017 | Updated 3:29 p.m. ET Dec. 13, 2017