The FCC’s Predictable Fiasco Of Internet Utility Regulation

[Commentary] On Feb. 26, the Federal Communications Commission plans to dictate the “strongest possible” 1934 economic regulation of the Internet -- currently the most dynamic, modern, and high-functioning part of the U.S. economy -- despite questionable legal authority and competence.

Detonating the Title II “nuclear option,” the FCC will assert regulatory jurisdiction over most everything involving Internet communications economy-wide for the first time. Over time, so much is likely to go wrong. Congressional Republicans have an open offer for a legislative compromise, which for the first time would give the FCC the actual direct legal authority to address all their currently identified potential net neutrality concerns -- blocking, throttling and paid prioritization -- just no unbounded blank check authority to address yet-identified issues which Congress has yet to determine are a problem. Only a bipartisan Congress can resolve this predictable fiasco legitimately for the benefit of the American people and Internet users.

[Scott Cleland is President of Precursor LLC, a research consultancy for Fortune 500 companies]