Ruling states internet has “flourished” with fewer government regulations.
The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) does not have the authority to reinstate net neutrality rules. The rules would make it illegal for internet service providers to modify internet access for customers, such as slowing down internet speeds for consumers who pay less money or limiting access to online services offered by competitors.
The FCC first proposed this rule in President Obama’s administration, claiming in 2015 that broadband internet has become a utility for U.S. consumers and should thus be regulated like one. The appellate court identified the move, which was rescinded during President Trump’s first administration, as government overreach.
“Today we consider the latest FCC order, issued in 2024, which resurrected the FCC’s heavy-handed regulatory regime,” Judge Richard Griffin wrote in the Opinion of the Court.
“Using ‘the traditional tools of statutory construction’… we hold that Broadband Internet Service Providers offer only an ‘information service,’” Judge Griffin continued, “and therefore, the FCC lacks the statutory authority to impose its desired net-neutrality policies through the ‘telecommunications service’ provision of the Communications Act.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For the judges of the federal circuit courts as they hear appeals and issue decisions.
- For the chair and members of the FCC as they evaluate and regulate the communications industry.
Sources: Forbes, Newsmax
