Skip to main content

Net neutrality

See All Stories
Fight against net neutrality repeal continues

Net neutrality repeal under fire after data throttling to fire service vehicle

Attempts to fight the net neutrality repeal continue as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been ordered by a court to examine the impacts of repealing the protection.

One incident that may prove significant is when Verizon throttled data service to a fire service vehicle in a way that hampered its ability to fight wildfires…


Expand
Expanding
Close

Reddit, Mozilla, Vimeo and 22 state attorneys general fight to save net neutrality today [Livestream]

save net neutrality

The battle to save net neutrality isn’t over yet. A lawsuit arguing that the Federal Communications Commission overstepped its powers when overturning net neutrality protections goes to court today.

The case is being heard by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. On one side, the FCC; on the other, 22 state attorneys general and a number of tech giants, among them Reddit, Mozilla, Vimeo and Etsy …


Expand
Expanding
Close

Comment: As Senate votes to keep net neutrality, there’s only one hope it will pass the House

The US Senate yesterday voted to retain net neutrality, over-turning the FCC’s repeal back in December.

The move had been seen as a long-shot, partly because it required at least some Republican support, but that hurdle has been passed. Three Republican senators voted with Democrats: Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) …


Expand
Expanding
Close

Washington state defies FCC to pass its own net neutrality law

When the Federal Communications Commission overturned net neutrality rules that ensured ISPs had to treat all websites and web services equally, it also decided that its own wishes should over-ride those of individual states. It included a provision that banned states from restoring consumer protection by passing their own net neutrality laws.

Some states – like New York – found workarounds, but Washington has decided to simply defy the FCC and pass its own law …


Expand
Expanding
Close

Net neutrality ends on April 23, allowing ISPs to block & throttle content from that date

Following the Trump administration’s decision to repeal net neutrality rules, the FCC has today announced that the free-for-all begins on April 23. As of that date, it will be legal for Internet Service Providers to implement a two-speed Internet, with the fastest speeds reserved for companies able to pay for the privilege …


Expand
Expanding
Close

AT&T calls for an ‘Internet Bill of Rights’ for ‘all Internet companies’

AT&T unlimited data

[Update: AT&T has released an official statement with some clarification about the open letter shared yesterday and paid prioritization. Read the full statement below.]

AT&T’s CEO Randall Stephenson has today shared an open letter titled Consumers Need an Internet Bill of Rights. In the letter, Stephenson shares his ideas for how to “end the debate [on net neutrality] once and for all” and states that AT&T is “committed to an open Internet.” Meanwhile, critics are voicing their opinions…


Expand
Expanding
Close

Government watchdog to investigate fraud & identity theft in net neutrality comments

While the Trump administration saw the FCC repeal net neutrality, opponents of a two-speed Internet haven’t yet given up. After widespread allegations of fraud during the consultation process, including some particularly unpleasant allegations of identity theft, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has agreed to investigate …


Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple blocks iOS app that claims to detect net neutrality violations through data throttling [Update]

[Update: The developer now says his app has been approved after all.]

Apple has reportedly rejected an app that claims to detect net neutrality violations and study which carriers throttle major video services. Motherboard reports that researcher David Choffnes says his app Wehe was rejected by the App Store for apparently offering no benefit to the user, but the app’s promise sounds rather straightforward…


Expand
Expanding
Close

New York plans to safeguard net neutrality by withholding state contracts from violators [U]

Update: New York’s governor Andrew Cuomo has now signed an executive order implementing the plan. The Verge notes that Montana’s governor has done the same.

The repeal of net neutrality rules may allow Internet service providers and mobile carriers to block or throttle services at will, reserving the fastest bandwidth for companies who pay the toll, but the law may not be the only way to keep companies in line …


Expand
Expanding
Close

State attorneys general join trade groups in fighting to restore net neutrality

The FCC may have voted to repeal net neutrality rules – opening the way for Internet service providers to speed up, slow down or even block services depending on who pays them to do so – but some are determined that the war isn’t over.

After a trade group representing companies like Amazon, Facebook and Google vowed to fight the decision in court, a number of states plan to join the battle …


Expand
Expanding
Close

Trump’s FCC plans to abandon net neutrality regulations, allowing paid Internet fast lanes [U]

[Update: The FCC has today released a Fact Sheet along with full Declaratory Ruling, Report and Order that will be voted on next month.]

Led by chairman Ajit Pai, the Trump administration’s Federal Communications Commission has today released its controversial plan to undo the current net neutrality regulations that were approved under the Obama administration two years ago.


Expand
Expanding
Close