With Federal Communications Commission Chair Tom Wheeler floating a new plan on regulation of broadband internet service, there is much speculation about the political fallout from the plan and the chances of getting a plan that gives the FCC more power past the commission and through a Republican-controlled Congress. (The Wall Street Journal, November 13, 2014, by Guatham Nagesh)
Republican South Dakota Senator John Thune, primed to assume the chairmanship of the Commerce Committee, favors rewriting federal communications laws to favor large media companies. (The Wrap, November 4, 2014, by Ira Telnowitz)
Gabe Rottman of the ACLU is skeptical about the chances of Wheeler’s plan he calls a hybrid approach to preserve network neutrality since the internet would be regulated as both a telecommunications service and information service. He thinks the best chance for preserving net neutrality is for Congress to enact laws that provide for open internet rules. (American Civil Liberties Union, November 5, 2014, by Gabe Rottman)