Fact Sheet: President Obama's Plan to Regulate the Internet

On February 5, 2015, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler circulated to his fellow Commissioners President Barack Obama’s 332-page plan to regulate the Internet. Here are some key aspects of that plan:
Through broad and vague rules, President Obama’s plan:

• Gives the FCC the power to micromanage virtually every aspect of how the Internet works.
• Opens the door to billions of dollars of new taxes on broadband.
• Contains rate regulation.
• Will steadily increase regulation over time.
• Will be a boon to trial lawyers and will lead to more litigation.
• Will reduce competition and decrease consumer choice.
• Will slow broadband speeds for American consumers and the deployment of high-speed broadband.