FCC Votes to Restore Net Neutrality Laws Undone Under Trump

This week, the Federal Communications Commission voted to restore net neutrality, a set of policies classifying the internet as a public utility.

Details: Net neutrality prevents internet service providers from prioritizing certain web traffic and creating “fast lanes” that increase service speed for select websites. These policies were championed by the Obama administration, undone under the Trump administration, and are now set to be put back in place under the Biden administration. Outlets predicted service providers would challenge the rule change in court.

Key Quotes: In a statement, the FCC said it voted to “restore a national standard to ensure the internet is fast, open, and fair,” adding, “Through its actions today, the Commission creates a national standard by which it can ensure that broadband internet service is treated as an essential service.” Internet service providers “will again be prohibited from blocking, throttling, or engaging in paid prioritization of lawful content.”

How the Media Covered It: The Wall Street Journal (Center bias) reported that the rules changes in recent years “haven’t radically changed how the internet is delivered to consumers or how much they pay for it.” USA Today (Lean Left bias) reported that the FCC received “near-universal praise” for the vote to restore net neutrality. Fox Business (Lean Right bias) published an article just before the vote, warning that reinstating net neutrality “could cause a slowdown in the pace of internet speed increases and price improvements seen in the years since net neutrality's repeal.”