Comment Period Open On FCC Net Neutrality NPRM

Public Comment Welcome

The FCC's formal Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on "Net neutrality" is now open for public comment, with the extensive draft rules looking to "build upon the existing record at the Commission to identify the best means to achieve the goal of preserving and promoting the open Internet." 

The Commission release said that "the draft rules would permit broadband Internet access service providers to engage in reasonable network management, including but not limited to reasonable practices to reduce or mitigate the effects of network congestion," but would prevent ISPs from engaging in activity to restrict users from accessing and using lawful content, connecting lawful devices and applications to the Net, and gaining nondiscriminatory access to services and content. The rules also allow ISPs to "address harmful traffic and traffic unwanted by users, such as spam, and prevent both the transfer of unlawful content, such as child pornography, and the unlawful transfer of content, such as a transfer that would infringe copyright."

Comments are due by JANUARY 14th, 2010, with replies due MARCH 5th.

« see more Net News