Tom Wheeler defeats the broadband industry: Net neutrality wins in court

A November 2014 rally at the White House. Public input played an important role in the net neutrality debate. (credit: Stephen Melkisethian)

The US broadband industry has lost its lawsuit attempting to overturn the Federal Communications Commission's net neutrality rules and the related reclassification of Internet service providers as common carriers.

ISPs' First Amendment claims (among others) were rejected. "Because a broadband provider does not—and is not understood by users to—'speak' when providing neutral access to internet content as common carriage, the First Amendment poses no bar to the open internet rules," judges wrote said a decision released today by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (full text).

The net neutrality order, passed over a year ago, is FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's signature move during a whirlwind time as head of the commission.

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Source: Ministry of Innovation – Ars Technica http://ift.tt/1Q0ZezU