Today, November 10, 2014, President Obama asked the FCC to protect net neutrality as the agency writes new regulations on internet traffic.  Obama asked that the “strongest possible rules” be implemented to prohibit deals which would require content providers to pay Internet companies to ensure smooth delivery of traffic.  Instead of the current model, Obama wants the internet to be regulated as a public utility, under Title II of the Telecommunications Act, similar to the way telephones are now regulated.

Of the more than 1 million comments the FCC received on the issue, more than 99 percent favor net neutrality, reports MSNBC.  Many including the President believe that abandoning net neutrality and allowing internet fast lanes to go forward, would stifle innovation and would prevent new businesses from competing with those already established in the industry. “Ever since the internet was created, it’s been organized around basic principles of openness, fairness, and freedom…net neutrality has unleashed the power of the internet and given innovators the chance to thrive.  Abandoning these principles would threaten to end the internet as we know it” said the President in a statement put out by the Whitehouse today.

https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/531813644695531520

Read the President’s full statement on the Whitehouse website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/net-neutrality