New York Times - Court Backs Rules Treating Internet as a Utility, not Luxury
by Cecila Kang June 14, 2016
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/15/technology/net-neutrality-fcc-appeals-court-ruling.html?_r=0
On June 14, 2016 the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled by a 2 to 1 vote that the Internet is a public utility, not a luxury. This favored the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) and what is known as net neutrality. The FCC states their, “open internet rules protect and maintain open, uninhibited access to legal online content without broadband Internet access providers being allowed to block, impair, or establish fast/slow lanes to lawful content” (FCC). The telecomm industry is seeking to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.
Net neutrality is a war being fought for control of the information stream known as the internet. On one side, we have Internet Service Providers ("ISPs") who have spent time and money developing technology to quickly and efficiently transmit information around the globe. ISPs see the internet as a new revenue producing frontier that they must control. On the other side, we have the general public, hungry for all the information and services potentially available through the use of the internet and whose access and availability are being policed by the Federal Communication Commission ("FCC").
An Open Internet means consumers can go where they want, when they want. This principle is often referred to as Net Neutrality. It means innovators can develop products and services without asking for permission. It means consumers will demand more and better broadband as they enjoy new lawful Internet services, applications and content, and broadband providers cannot block, throttle, or create special "fast lanes" for that content. The FCC's Open Internet rules protect and maintain open, uninhibited access to legal online content without broadband Internet access providers being allowed to block, impair, or establish fast/slow lanes to lawful content.