On December 21 last year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), led by chairman Julius Genachowski, voted 3–2 to impose “neutrality” regulations on the Internet. At the time, dissenting commissioner Robert McDowell noted that the day—quite literally—was the “darkest day of the year.” The regulatory winter, however, may prove to be a short one. Not only is Internet regulation under attack in Congress and the courts, but there are signs that Genachowski may soon take a new post at the Commerce Department, leaving his signature initiative in doubt. The latest blow …
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) is keeping the promise she made last month. Today, she filed a bill to strike down the Federal Communications Commission’s recent move to enact net neutrality regulations. The Internet Freedom Act states Internet regulation is the sole prerogative of Congress, and is supported by more than 60 House members, including the majority of Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “I agree that the Internet faces a number of challenges,” Rep. Blackburn said in a statement. “Only Congress can address those challenges without compounding them. …
Just days before Congress recesses for the upcoming elections, House Commerce Committee chair Henry Waxman stepped into the debate over Internet regulation yesterday, releasing draft legislation to impose certain “neutrality” rules to providers of broadband Internet service. Hammered out in negotiations over the past few weeks with the active participation of Google, Verizon, and other competing broadband industry players, the final product—not surprisingly—looks a lot like the Google–Verizon consensus plan announced last month. Specifically, the Waxman proposal would ban Internet access providers such as Verizon from blocking content outright but …
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DhabZ2N8U8[/youtube] FCC Commissioner McDowell recently spoke at Heritage’s Blogger Briefing and then sat down with the Foundry to discuss the ongoing process to add unnecessary regulation across the entire internet. The complicated proposed rules for the new medium are an old story of regulation: It does put government in the unprecedented role of perhaps sitting between the producer and the consumer in the internet space. There you have it. Wedging itself between two mutually benefiting parties in the name of fairness is perhaps what government regulation does best. Also see …
