WASHINGTON (AP) – Netflix, Twitter and Internet activists have won. Big cable has lost. At least until the federal courts get involved, when everything could change. Five things you need to know about the Federal Communications Commission’s vote Thursday to enforce “net neutrality” rules for the broadband industry:
1. NET NEUTRALITY IS WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE. With few exceptions, the cable and wireless companies that provide much of the nation’s broadband already operate under the idea of net neutrality. This means they don’t discriminate among similar types of web traffic, and don’t intentionally slow or block data.
The FCC decision was intended to make sure that the Internet as we know it doesn’t change. Regulators say this was important because some providers had signaled an interest in manipulating their network traffic, potentially entering into paid deals with sites like Netflix to move their content faster. But these efforts never got very far, and many providers say they don’t want to upset consumers by violating basic net neutrality principles.
2. THIS WILL AFFECT YOU. JUST NOT ANYTIME SOON. The FCC put the Internet in the same regulatory camp as the telephone, regulating it like a public utility. That means whatever company provides your Internet connection, even if it’s to your phone, will now have to act in the public interest and not do anything that might be considered “unjust or unreasonable.” If they don’t, you can complain and the FCC can step in to investigate.
But broadband providers are expected to sue. It’s likely they will ask the courts to delay implementation of the rules pending judicial review. And if a judge agrees, the legal wrangling could slip well into the next president’s first term.