Federal appeals court strikes down net neutrality. What this means for you.

A federal appeals court has struck down the Federal Communications fee’s net neutrality rules that prevented internet service providers from throttling or blocking some content or charging more to deliver it.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit said Thursday that the FCC lacked the authority to reinstate the Obama-era rules, dealing a final blow to a decade-long attempt to gain greater oversight over the internet.

Long the source of partisan tensions, the net neutrality rules were repealed in Donald Trump’s first term. President Joe Biden signed a 2021 executive order encouraging the FCC to reinstate them, which the FCC voted to do along event lines in April. 

Net neutrality selection early triumph for Trump

Democrats desire greater oversight of internet service providers while Republicans decline the concept that they should be regulated like phone companies.

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The appeals court’s selection is an early triumph for the incoming Trump administration which has vowed to roll back Biden regulations.

Brendan Carr, tapped as the recent FCC chair by Trump, has been a key critic of net neutrality. 

“While the work to unwind the Biden Admin’s regulatory overreach will continue, this is a excellent triumph,” Carr said Thursday on X.

Former FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel had called net neutrality “a necessity for daily life.” She said Thursday that Americans still desire “quick, open, and fair” internet service and called on Congress to receive action.

The selection does not affect state laws in California, Colorado and Washington.

What is net neutrality?

Neutrality refers to the concept that internet service providers should treat all content flowing through their systems equally. The term was coined in 2003 by Columbia University law professor Tim Wu.

Net neutrality rules are opposed by telecommunications giants like AT&T, Comcast and Verizon.

Internet service providers praised Thursday’s ruling. “Our fight to stop the government’s unwarranted internet takeover has resulted in a major win,” Grant Spellmeyer, CEO of the cable trade throng ACA Connects, said Thursday. 

buyer advocacy groups are major backers of net neutrality, arguing the rules are needed to keep internet service providers from abusing their power. These advocates warned Thursday that consumers could be subject to higher fees or slowed or blocked services.

“Today’s selection will let the incoming Trump FCC abdicate its responsibility to protect internet users against unscrupulous business practices,” Free Press Vice President of Policy and General Counsel Matt Wood said in a statement.