Skip to Main Content
Wexler Boley & Elgersma LLP
  • Our Firm
    • Who We Serve
      • Shareholders
      • Whistleblowers
      • Consumers
      • Businesses
      • Government Entities
    • Our Professionals
    • Working with Wexler Boley & Elgersma LLP
    • Locations
    • News
    • Careers
    • Report Your Concern
    • Testimonials
  • Practice Areas
    • Antitrust Litigation
    • Business & Commercial Litigation
    • Securities & Corporate Governance
    • Healthcare Litigation
    • Consumer Protection
    • Whistle Blower False Claims Litigation
    • Government Representation
    • Employment Litigation
  • Cases
    • Antitrust Litigation Cases
    • Business & Commercial Litigation Cases
    • Consumer Protection Cases
    • Employment Litigation Cases
    • Government Representation Cases
    • Healthcare Litigation Cases
    • Mass Tort Litigation Cases
    • Securities & Corporate Governance Cases
    • Whistle Blower False Claims Cases
  • Investigations
    • Similac Toxic Infant Formula Lawsuit
    • Kid’s Castle Biometric Privacy Lawsuit
    • Contaminated Baby Food Lawsuit
    • Fatal Sportmix Pet Food Recall Class Action Lawsuit
    • Claire’s Data Breach Lawsuit
    • Insurance Denial for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment
    • Perpetual Sales Litigation
    • Railroad Price-Fixing Lawsuit
    • Medicare Advantage Fraud Litigation
    • Biometric Fingerprinting Litigation
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
See all blog posts
12.14.2017

The FCC Voted to Repeal Net Neutrality. Here’s What Happens Next

By Brian Lynch
In The News, You Should Know, For Consumers

image of a buffering wheel following the repeal of net neutrality

On Thursday, December 14th, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) held their highly-publicized hearing to gut net neutrality regulations enacted under the Obama administration. In a 3-2 vote, the Commission moved forward with its massively unpopular plan to repeal net neutrality. While this move is a major setback for advocates of a free and open Internet, the battle is far from over; it’s merely changing venues.

Net neutrality regulations prevented Internet Service Providers (ISPs) from prioritizing some Internet traffic above others, requiring them to treat all traffic fairly. This means ISPs weren’t allowed to slow down your Internet speeds on one website or platform while granting full speeds on a different, competing platform. It also prevented providers from dividing access to websites, apps, and services into individual packages, the way most cable subscriptions are handled.

Now that those protections are gone, many are worried that the Internet will be divided into the haves and have-nots: where the wealthy can pay extra for the same Internet freedoms we all once enjoyed, while the poor will be left with severely limited access. This hobbling of one of mankind’s greatest achievements would make it harder for people to communicate with one another, limit their ability to find jobs, and would almost assuredly be a death sentence for thousands of small businesses who rely on the Internet.

But, like with any great conflict, the loss of a battle doesn’t mean the war is decided. The fate of net neutrality will likely head to the courtroom, as advocate groups like the Free Press and others will challenge the FCC’s decision.

It’s also inevitable that Congress will play a role in the ultimate fate of net neutrality, as advocacy groups have already begun calling on representatives to overturn the decision and enact binding legislation to protect Internet freedom.

The FCC’s decision struck a near-fatal blow to Internet freedom, but there’s still time to fight back. Contact your representatives, educate your friends and family about net neutrality, and use the power of the Internet to make your voice heard while it’s still an option.

Share

No Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Receive News Updates

Get the latest from Wexler Wallace LLP & stay informed.

Categories

  • Media Appearances
  • Uncategorized
  • Columns
    • Guest Post
    • Ken Wexler
    • Ed Wallace
  • Practice Areas
    • Consumer Protection
    • Mass Tort Litigation
    • Business & Commercial Litigation
    • Healthcare Litigation
    • Employment Litigation
  • Cases
  • Hall Of Shame
    • Villain Of The Week
  • In The News
    • Public Victories
  • Featured Investigations
  • The Firm
    • News releases
    • Around The World
    • Our Professionals
    • Chicago
  • You Should Know
    • For Investors
    • For Businesses
    • For Consumers
  • Featured Cases
  • awards
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
Image

311 S. Wacker Drive,
Suite 5450
Chicago, IL 60606
P_312.346.2222
F_312.346.0022

  • Our Firm
  • Practice Areas
  • Cases
  • Investigations
  • Newsroom
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Statement
  • Legal Disclaimer

2022 © Wexler Boley & Elgersma LLP