The Covid-19 Pandemic Shows the Virtues of Net Neutrality

Rather than rendering network neutrality obsolete, the Covid-19 crisis reminds us why it’s such an important principle. The crisis shows that even in dire circumstances, internet companies can provide a neutral network. In Dec 2017, Net neutrality opponents claimed that regulating internet providers like telephone companies had hurt broadband infrastructure investment and that dropping the rules would spur more investment. Other critics warned that broadband providers needed to be able to prioritize certain types of content to prevent internet slowdowns. The experience of the past few months suggests those arguments were overstated, at best.

It would be tempting to call the FCC’s changes a wash. The investments in infrastructure that FCC Chairman Ajit Pai promised haven't materialized, while carriers don't yet appear to be throttling connections any more than they were before. But with the exception of a few publicly owned broadband providers, carriers are obligated to serve investors, not the public interest. By repealing the common carrier rule, the FCC gave up much of its authority to police the behavior of broadband carriers during times of crisis.