FCC moves Net Neutrality to the forefront of Debates

The ten year battle for net neutrality surfaced again this past February as Tom Wheeler, appointed Chairman of the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) by President Obama in 2013, offered a new mandate that will make the internet a public utility. This will ensure web traffic equality and make the internet affordable for everyone. The onset of this new change strikes cords with the large telecom giants and Republicans whom perceive that this new error committed by the FCC will not make the internet one cent cheaper or have any significant improvement on internet quality. So what will it do?

The new mandate puts a cap on businesses’ ability to compete within the market as it institutes for governmental regulations on the internet. Broadband access providers, as AT&T and Verizon, see this new regulation of the internet not as a network-neutrality requirement, but more of a way to limit innovation within the industry. Similar to the Obama care bill, this mandate will prohibit the growth of small businesses by creating a system that encourages an anti-competition atmosphere.

“Once the federal government establishes a foothold into managing how Internet service providers run their networks they will essentially be deciding which content goes first, second, third, or not at all,” reports US Representative Marsha Blackburn. In essence, regulation on internet service providers suggests a limitation on internet content. Blackburn currently is in the works of writing a new bill called “Internet Freedom Act” to block the FCC’s efforts. As always, the debate on net neutrality will continue as law makers wiggle out the issues and come forward with solutions.