US Democrats To Present Bill To Restore ‘Net Neutrality’

Two US Senate Democrats active in internet issues are working on a bill to restore landmark “net neutrality” rules that would bar telecommunications companies from blocking or throttling traffic or offering paid fast lanes.

Senators Edward Markey and Ron Wyden plan to introduce a bill this summer that would put broadband under the umbrella of a telecommunications service, which means that providers would be subject to stricter Federal Communications Commision (FCC) oversight, a source briefed on the matter told Reuters. Representative Doris Matsui is working on a companion House version.

Markey’s office in a statement said “it is more clear than ever that broadband internet is an essential utility” and the FCC’s “authority should reflect that, so it can fulfill its obligations to the public by reinstating net neutrality rules.”

Telecommunications companies, who are also major internet providers, have been battling net neutrality efforts for more than a decade, while major technology firms like Alphabet’s Google and Meta’s Facebook strongly back net neutrality protections.

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