Net Neutrality: What It Means for Your Everyday Internet Access and Streaming Speeds

One of the longest-running debates about internet access has entered a new phase, and the way it unfolds could directly affect everything you do online. You might remember the net neutrality debate from a decade ago. Originally voted in by the Federal Communications Commission during the Obama administration, net neutrality guidelines were subsequently ended by Donald Trump's FCC in 2017. Now a new push for it is back under President Joe Biden. FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel proposed restoring net neutrality rules in September, but there's a long road ahead still. Net neutrality is the principle that all internet traffic is treated equally -- meaning your broadband provider won't slow down or speed up sites you visit according to whether those sites pay extra money to have their traffic prioritized, or whether they have a special relationship with your provider.