Think The Net Neutrality Fight Is Over? Think Again.

[marmar]

WASHINGTON -- When the Obama administration approved strong new net neutrality rules earlier this year, advocates rejoiced. "We have won on net neutrality,” Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak told The Guardian. President Barack Obama declared victory and thanked Reddit, the self-proclaimed "Front Page of the Internet" for its community's activism on the issue.

But these celebrations may have been premature. Telecom and cable companies, which provide broadband access to the vast majority of Americans, are challenging the Obama administration's actions in court. If they get their way, a federal appeals court will soon delay some rules that aim to protect net neutrality, the principle that all internet traffic should be treated equally. Open-Internet advocates fear that an unfavorable decision may open the door for harmful business practices while the court battle—which could take years—plays out. A stay on part of the new rules would also likely embolden Republicans on Capitol Hill who seek to pass laws gutting the rules.

In February, the Federal Communications Commission voted along party lines to adopt rules that ban Internet service providers such as Comcast and Verizon from charging content providers such as Netflix for more reliable broadband access. ISPs and many Republican lawmakers despise the new rules, claiming that they will hamper innovation.

In April, a number of industry groups and companies challenged the new regulations in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit Court. The groups later asked the court to issue a stay delaying the government from reclassifying broadband as a utility under Title II of the Communications Act, which is the legal basis underlying the new rules that ban Internet blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization. The ISPs argue that the FCC can use a different bit of telecom law to implement net neutrality rules. They also don't want the FCC to have the authority to police certain violations. ..................(more)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/05/net-neutrality-lawsuit_n_7520322.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000013