On April 27, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would impact net neutrality in the U.S.. The Restoring Internet Freedom act, which will be voted on at the May 18 FCC meeting, would end the utility-style regulatory approach intended to preserve net neutrality. Pai’s office contends that the FCC 2015 decision to subject internet service providers (ISPs) to Title II utility style regulations reduces the incentive for innovation in the industry and threatens the open Internet it is purported to preserve. The NPRM highlights several changes including reinstating the information service classification of broadband Internet access service and “returning to the light-touch regulatory framework.” In 2015, the FCC contended that subjecting ISPs to Title II utility style regulation was necessary to protect consumers from unfair business practices such as ISPs blocking or degrading internet traffic.
