Net neutrality, considered a centerpiece initiative for FCC chair Julius Genachowski, would effectively stop Internet providers from slowing
or blocking access to Web sites. It’s among the most important political topics that most net-heads don’t understand. And the debate’s just been reignited: Yesterday Genachowski revealed plans to reclassify
broadband lines so that they are governed by the same rules as traditional phone networks, which the FCC has legal authority over–creating a loophole large enough to push through net neutrality
rules on ISPs. So what happens next?
The Federal Communications Commission may not have the authority to
regulate broadband access. A federal appeals court
decision in April ruled against the FCC’s attempt to impose
“network neutrality”
regulations that would force Internet service provider (ISPs) like
AT&T and Comcast to treat all Web traffic equally, regardless of the
content accessed or level
