On May 6, 2010, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski announced that the Commission would soon launch a public process seeking comment on the options for a legal framwork for regulating broadband services.
Regulatory classification
Statement of Commissioner Rosenworcel on Lack of Integrity in FCC Process
While I fundamentally disagree with the merits of the Federal Communications Commission’s [net neutrality] proposal, what is equally concerning is the lack of integrity to the FCC’s process that has led to this point.
To review, the FCC has held zero public hearings. The FCC has knowingly maintained a system that has already been corrupted and is susceptible to abuse. This has led to the following problems:
NHMC asks why FCC is hiding ISPs’ answers to net neutrality complaints
While the Federal Communications Commission said it has 18,000 carrier responses to network neutrality complaints, the National Hispanic Media Coalition says it has only received 823 pages worth.
"The FCC has not produced any additional documents since we filed an Application for Review [on November 14]," said NHMC Special Policy Advisor Gloria Tristani. Besides carrier responses, "we are missing other documents as well, such as attachments to consumer complaints, consumer rebuttals, etc." The FCC has not explained why it didn't provide those documents, according to the NHMC.
Commissioner Rosenworcel, NY AG Call for Delay of Net Neutrality Vote Over Fake Comments
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel of the Federal Communications Commission said that widespread irregularities tied to network neutrality feedback, including at least 1 million phony comments, have tainted the public commenting process. The allegations are buttressing a campaign by online activists and government officials who oppose the FCC's plan to dismantle net neutrality rules.
FCC won’t delay vote, says net neutrality supporters are “desperate”
The Federal Communications Commission will move ahead with its vote to kill network neutrality rules Dec 14 despite an unresolved court case that could strip away even more consumer protections. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai says that net neutrality rules aren't needed because the Federal Trade Commission can protect consumers from broadband providers. But a pending court case involving AT&T could strip the FTC of its regulatory authority over AT&T and similar ISPs.
AT&T Rewrites History, Claims Killing Net Neutrality Will Provide 'Enormous Benefits'
In a blog post, AT&T lobbyist Bob Quinn tried to argue that the immense criticism being levied at the Federal Communications Commission for its decision to scrap net neutrality is based largely on “misinformation” and “rhetorical excess.” "We will not block websites, we will not throttle or degrade internet traffic based on content, and we will not unfairly discriminate in our treatment of internet traffic (all consistent with the rules that were adopted—and that we supported—in 2010, and the rules in place today.)”
How Silicon Valley Became the FCC Chair’s Scapegoat
In a speech on Nov 28, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai angrily denounced celebrities and tech companies who have been criticizing his plans to undo the 2015 rules. Hollywood is always a good scapegoat, of course, and Republicans looking to stir up anger in 2017 do well to frame their issues as a response to the unchecked power of Silicon Valley.
Professors Caution Against Net Neutrality Rule Change
As the Federal Communications Commission prepares to vote on a proposal to dismantle current network neutrality rules, professors at Harvard Business School and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences cautioned against several aspects of the proposal.
Why deregulating internet service makes sense
[Commentary] Like all major government efforts to deregulate industries, from telephones to airlines, the Federal Communications Commission’s move to do away with net neutrality is destined to have a major impact. We think consumers will benefit because increased competition is a greater spur to technological innovation than government fiat.
Net Neutrality: Democrats’ Missed Opportunity
[Commentary] Democrats are missing the boat in demonstrating to millennials that they will fight for an issue that matters to them. The tech-savvy generation, more than others, understands what the end of net neutrality means—and they don’t like it at all. If Democrats had been louder on this issue, they would have shown that the party cares about what’s important to young people.
[Cliston Brown is a communications executive and political analyst in the San Francisco Bay Area]
How a net neutrality rollback could create a tiered internet
Critics of Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai's proposal contend the end of net neutrality could create a tiered internet system that would hurt poorer Americans and small businesses, while bolstering the coffers of big businesses like Comcast and Verizon.