US commission to dismantle key Internet regulations

The US Federal Communications Commission yesterday (Tuesday) announced that it planned to dismantle landmark regulations that ensure equal access to the Internet, clearing the way for companies to charge more and block access to some websites. The proposal, put forward by the commission chairperson, Ajit Pai, is a sweeping repeal of rules put in place by the Obama administration that prohibited high-speed ISPs from blocking or slowing down the delivery websites, or charging extra fees for the best quality of streaming and other Internet services for their subscribers. The New York Times reports that the clear winners from the move would be telecom giants like AT&T and Comcast that have lobbied for years against regulations of broadband and will now have more control over the online experiences of American consumers. The report notes that the losers could be Internet sites that will have to answer telecom firms to get their content to consumers.