The FCC Ends Net Neutrality - Now What?

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted 3-2 Thursday to end Obama-era regulations that dictate how providers treat the accessibility of content on the Internet.

The repeal of the net neutrality regulations could usher in big changes in how Americans use the Internet.

The change has also sparked nationwide protests from consumers who worry cable and phone companies will have greater control over what they see and do online.

Amanda Seales, an actor of the HBO's Insecure spoke at one rally in Washington D.C.

"It's supposedly, supposed to be able to speak freely, you are supposed to have that space to speak," she said. "The problem is that when we start putting dollar signs on that, we are now limiting people from having the opportunity to not only give information but also to receive information."

The broadband industry has promised users' internet experience will not change.

The FCC says broadband service providers cannot block or deliberately slow speeds for Internet services or apps, favor some Internet traffic in exchange for consideration or engage in other practices that harm Internet openness.
      
"The previous rules stifled the free market." He adds, "It is not the job of the government to pick the winners and losers of the internet... we should have a level playing field," said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said.

But what does this mean for consumers?

Critics say repealing net neutrality regulations could force consumers to start paying more, or even force consumers to purchase "bundled" websites or applications and charge more depending on what a person wants access to.

But others say it didn't happen before the Obama-era regulations, and they won't happen now.

Sean Motley is the president of Less Government, a DC-based non-profit dedicated to reducing the power of government.

"What we want to do is keep the investment train rolling. Which we've done by rolling back these regulations, which by the way are 1934 landline telephone regulations," Motley said.

He says Thursday vote restored the pre-2015 'status quo', which lead to the greatest growth in the history of humanity. 

"The internet service providers are in the customer service business. If they do not service the customers they will no longer be in business," he explained. "That model has worked for twenty years prior to 2015 and it will work again just fine now." 

The truth is, we really won't know what changes if any will take place until internet providers start experimenting. However, it will likely months before the latest decision takes effect. 

Attorneys General in several states have threatened to sue the FCC over the repeal.