Image source: Pixabay
A federal appeals court ruled on Thursday that U.S. regulators overstepped their authority by reinstating “net neutrality” rules for internet service providers, which is a setback for the Biden administration.
The court, based in Ohio, said the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) went too far with its decision last year to bring back strict
regulations, calling it a "heavy-handed" approach.
The debate over how much control U.S. regulators should have
over service providers has been ongoing for years. Under President Biden, the
FCC expanded its oversight.
RELATED: Biden to Present Service Medal to Trump Critic Liz Cheney
The court's opinion pointed out that this decision reversed
a rule from the Trump administration, which had undone a rule from the Obama
administration, and so on.
Supporters of net neutrality argue that internet service is
essential in today’s world and that companies should be regulated to prevent
unfair practices, like giving faster speeds to those who pay more. Net
neutrality rules stop internet service providers from blocking, slowing down,
or charging extra for certain content or applications.
However, internet service companies have fought against
these regulations, saying they should be free to run their businesses as they
wish.
RELATED: U.S. Ratings of Biden and the U.S. Tepid but Steady
The court agreed with the service providers, stating that
the FCC does not have the authority to impose these net neutrality rules.
Matt Wood, Vice President of Policy at Free Press, criticized the decision, saying it lets the FCC under the Trump administration off the hook for protecting users from harmful business practices.
He also
commented on the irony of the FCC’s actions under Trump and Musk’s leadership,
accusing them of promoting biased viewpoints.
0 Comments