Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Ajit Pai recently put forward a vote that threatens net neutrality rules. Should the vote pass, experts believe that it will dismantle the current free flow of information.
In a nutshell, net neutrality rules prevent Internet Service Providers (ISPs) from abusing their powers as "gatekeepers" of information on the internet. Without net neutrality rules, exploits could be put in place in favor of ISPs like AT&T or Verizon. For instance, they can provide lightning-fast delivery for apps and pages that they support, while also restricting speeds for competing apps and pages.
Pai's proposal challenges neutrality rules that are currently in place. In a summary of the vote, he said that the FCC will stop "micromanaging the internet." Instead of putting ISPs in constant check, Pai said that they would require ISPs to be transparent about their service offers so that consumers can make their own informed decisions.
The proposal also states that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will be responsible for handling "anti-competitive" issues. This basically means that the FTC will be the ones taking action if ISPs violate their stated policies.
While it seems like a good and fair idea on paper, many believe that the proposal could actually do more harm than good. In an official statement, Democratic commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel expressed that this gives ISPs control over "what voices to amplify, which sites we can visit, what connections we can make, and what communities we create."
On the other hand, Pai argues that his proposal can encourage ISPs to find more creative ways of making money. He believes that this will lead them to provide services in areas which they deem are not profitable under current net neutrality rules.
The voting for the new proposal and rules will take place on Dec. 14. Should it pass, the policies will take effect after a month.
