Taking a Closer Look at Network Neutrality Rules

[Commentary] Verizon is suing to overturn the Federal Communication Commission’s Open Internet Order. The rules do three major things: they (1) require broadband providers to be transparent about their practices; (2) prevent them from blocking sites, and in many cases, applications, services, and devices; and (3) prevent most providers from unreasonably discriminating against certain traffic. The rules are meant to implement the principles of network neutrality. They advance a lot of those principles, but many only partially, because of compromises at the bargaining table. Those various compromises and carveouts were enough to satisfy most of the Internet service providers involved, but apparently not enough for Verizon, which brought the court challenge that will be heard soon. But Verizon can't get the rules overturned just because it doesn't like them—they have to make the case that the rules can't legally be enforced.