Why net neutrality isn't dead just yet

An appeals court rules in favor of big telecom — but there's still hope for advocates of an open internet

Tom Wheeler
(Image credit: (AP Photo/Susan Walsh))

In a major blow to proponents of net neutrality, a federal appeals court on Tuesday struck down part of the Federal Communications Commission's rules that require internet service providers to treat all web traffic equally.

By a 2-1 ruling, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said the FCC had overstepped its authority in trying to prevent ISPs from discriminating against content — by, say, charging different rates for different speeds, or by blocking content outright. Specifically, the panel said the FCC had erred in the way it had chosen to classify ISPs.

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Jon Terbush

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.