In an historic vote, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has voted to repeal Obama-era net neutrality protections.
The vote fell along party lines, with the two Republican commissioners voting in favour of repeal and the two Democratic commissioners voting against repeal. The tie-breaking vote was cast by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.
The FCC voted on repealing America’s existing net neutrality protections roughly three weeks after Pai released his formal proposal.
Under the new rules, internet service providers have very few restrictions. They will be allowed to restrict content and throttle speeds, with the single caveat being that they need to publicly disclose their actions.
However, the American fight for net neutrality isn’t technically over just yet.
For instance, Jay Inslee, governor of Washington, delivered a media conference on December 13th, 2017 saying that the state will establish its own net neutrality protections.
Washington state will act under our own authority, our own laws and our own jurisdiction to protect #NetNeutrality for all of Washington's citizens. pic.twitter.com/K5eE1o5W6R
— Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) December 13, 2017
In a tweet, Inslee said that the state will “stand up for innovation, stand up for consumer, and protect an open internet.”
Inslee’s comments notwithstanding, the true consequences of the FCC’s decision today will be visible in the days, months and years to come.
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