President Barack Obama made a forceful statement for making the internet free and open, urging the Federal Communications Commission to make rules to prevent broadband companies from blocking or slowing content and to prevent providers from buying fast lanes to access consumers. Obama favors regulating broadband service like a utility. The comments may influence the FCC chairman, Tom Wheeler, who will soon announce his plan to protect net neutrality. (The New York Times, November 10, 2014, by Edward Wyatt)
Wheeler responded to the president’s statement by reiterating his commitment to a free internet, “an open platform for free expression, innovation, and economic growth.” Wheeler said the commission was exploring “hybrid” approaches that raised legal questions that need further study. (TechCrunch, November 10, 2014, by Alex Wilhelm)
The Electronic Frontier Foundation found the president’s statement encouraging. EFF opposes a hybrid proposal and the creation of internet slow lanes. (Electronic Frontier Foundation, November 10, 2014, by Corynne McSherry)
Industry groups representing internet service providers released this statement against Obama’s plan to reclassify the internet as a utility, “Such a move would set the industry back decades, and threaten the private sector investment that is critically needed to ensure that the network can meet surging demand.” (USA Today, November 10, 2014, by Mike Snider and Roger Yu)