-
Obama advocating for a free and open Internet.
President Obama created
a seismic wave in the blogosphere after taking a bullish stance on net neutrality Monday, urging the FCC to adopt a strict set of rules for cable service providers. Companies shouldn't be allowed to wantonly block off websites, Obama argued, and they shouldn't be allowed to charge fees for priority access (what's known in the business as "an Internet fast lane").
It seemed like a huge blow to the four major carriers that currently control our Internet portals (Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, and Charter Communications), and a victory for consumers. Finally, the FCC had political cover to serve the public interest.
But there's still no telling which way the commission might rule. Shortly after Obama issued his two-minute statement championing an open and free Internet,
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler replied with a noncommittal statement of his own, in which he stressed that his agency doesn't operate at the president's behest. (That said, he promised to take Obama's opinion into consideration, along with thousands of other public comments.)
So, there's a glimmering possibility that the agency might not rule in favor of an open Internet. And even if it does side with Obama, consumers are still left with the fundamental problem of a small group of companies controlling a critical resource.
