Net neutrality, blunted under Trump, may soon be revived

Net neutrality is poised for a resurgence after the Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday to begin the process of reestablishing the so-called open internet rules.

The vote revives a debate that last came to a head in 2017 when the agency voted to reverse the net neutrality rules created just a couple of years earlier. The back and forth occurred while Congress declined to codify the principles of net neutrality — that internet service providers (ISPs) should treat all traffic equally without blocking or throttling — into law.

Democrats Rosenworcel, Gomez and Geoffrey Starks voted to approve the move, while the two Republicans, Carr and Simington, dissented.

FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel announced her intention to reestablish the rules shortly after Democrat Anna Gomez was sworn in as the fifth and final commissioner at the agency, establishing a Democratic majority for the first time during the Biden administration. The president’s prior nominee, Gigi Sohn, faced persistent opposition from several lawmakers to be confirmed, before withdrawing from consideration. In the meantime, the agency was left in a deadlock.