Dive Brief:
- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will reportedly vote to dismantle net neutrality in December, reports Bloomberg. Former FCC chairman Tom Wheeler cautioned businesses that a repeal of net neutrality could result in losing "their choice of cloud services and applications." This could potentially result in companies having a hard time digitizing and accessing content.
- The 2015 regulation prohibited internet service providers (ISPs) including AT&T and Comcast from creating a fast lane for the internet or interfering with access to certain content.
- Since FCC Chairman Ajit Pai made the announcement of ending net neutrality, more than 22 million comments and complaints were filed to the FCC, according to the report.
Dive Insight:
More than 80% of IT professionals are in favor of the current ruling as 68% believe a change in law could negatively impact their company's revenue.
The net neutrality debate is one that has united the public and tech companies alike. Critics of the rollback say it impedes on the freedom the internet was founded on.
However, supporters of the reversal claim the regulation prevents ISPs from growing. Net neutrality "injected tremendous uncertainty into the broadband market. And uncertainty is the enemy of growth," Pai said.
Internet users united for a "Day of Action" in July to protest the rollback of net neutrality despite its seemingly imminent proceeding. Around 190 websites participated in the protest to show internet users what the landscape of the internet may be reduced to without net neutrality.
Facebook is among sites like Google and Netflix that could be impacted by the rollback despite Facebook CSO, Alex Stamos, maintaining that security does not belong in the "fabric" of the internet and its interference should be minimal. ISPs like AT&T maintain they are on the side of sites like Google and Twitter but are known for previously disagreeing with net neutrality criteria.