A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld the Federal Communication Commission’s “net neutrality” rules in a big final-year win for the Obama administration.
In the 2-1 ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, the court denied petitions from a number of internet service providers and trade groups to strike down the strongest internet service regulations ever written.
The regulations classify internet service providers as common carriers, which critics equate with utility regulations. The rules give the FCC increased authority to require internet service providers to treat all web traffic equally.
The decision is a major win for the FCC and the millions of open internet advocates who pressured the agency to adopt the strong rules that regulate the conduct of companies that provide internet service.