The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down net neutrality rules recently reinstated by the FCC. The action marks a significant setback for Democrats’ telecom policy. The court ruled that broadband internet providers are “information services,” not “telecommunications services,” as the agency had reclassified them, noted Inside Radio. The ruling aligns with a Supreme Court decision limiting federal court deference to expert agencies like the FCC, emphasizing a stricter interpretation of the statute.
The FCC’s net neutrality rules were reinstated last year, Inside Towers reported. They were designed to prevent internet service providers from throttling speeds or prioritizing paid content. ISPs and critics said the rules weren’t needed because ISPs aren’t conducting those activities.
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, who’s soon to be chair, opposed the reinstatement of the rules and welcomed the latest ruling. He said it invalidates “President Biden’s plan to expand government control of the internet.” Carr called the court ruling “a good win for the country.” He explained, “President Biden’s decision to impose these Title II regulations represented a break from the bipartisan consensus established by a Republican Congress and a Democrat President and enshrined in law nearly thirty years ago—a consensus that provided a stable regulatory framework that allowed the Internet in America to flourish.”
Current FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel oversaw the reinstatement of the net neutrality rules. Following the ruling, she stated, “Consumers across the country have told us again and again that they want an internet that is fast, open, and fair. With this decision it is clear that Congress now needs to heed their call, take up the charge for net neutrality, and put open internet principles in federal law.”
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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