D.C. Court of Appeals Clears FCC for Overturn of Title II Regulations

Oct 1, 2019 by AFP

Arlington, VA – Today the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia issued their ruling on the Mozilla Corporation v. FCC case, determining that Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under Chairman Ajit Pai was within its authority to end the previous administration’s burdensome Title II internet regulations.

Americans for Prosperity Policy Manager David Barnes issued the following statement:

“We’re pleased to see the federal appeals court recognized the merit of the FCC’s decision to remove unnecessary internet regulations. Thanks to Chairman Pai’s Restoring Internet Freedom Order, broadband internet service is once again properly classified under a light touch regulatory model as an information service. Fewer regulations have led to better average connection speeds for Americans and opened the door to greater broadband investment. Despite the fear mongering of some, more than a year after heavy-handed Title II regulations were removed the internet remains as free and open to the American public as ever. Congress should seize this opportunity to pass legislation that permanently categorizes broadband internet service as a Title I service with a light regulatory touch.”

The FCC’s most recent order will not leave consumers vulnerable to bad behavior from internet service providers. The Federal Trade Commission will police and take action against internet service providers for anticompetitive acts or unfair and deceptive practices. The FTC is the nation’s premier consumer protection agency, and until the FCC stripped it of jurisdiction over internet service providers in 2015, the FTC protected consumers consistently across the internet economy.

###

For further information or to set up an interview, please contact Jim Fellinger at JFellinger@afphq.org or 571-319-6106.