Senator Schumer calls for big stick of “Title II” as net neutrality debate heats up

New York Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has upped the stakes in the debate over how the Federal Communications Commission should regulate broadband Internet providers, by calling for them to be reclassified as so-called “common carriers.”

Sen Schumer invoked “Title II,” which has been a third rail in discussions on telecom policy, because it would require companies like Comcast to behave more like public utilities. His Facebook post reads in part: “Like a highway, the Internet must remain free and open for all; not determined by the highest bidders … Title II reclassification is the best way to for us to preserve the Internet as an unfettered tool for communication and the sharing of ideas.”

In response to the post, prominent figures from the tech world, including Reddit’s Alexis Onanain and lawyer Marvin Ammori, left comments hailing Sen Schumer’s plan as an important step for startups.