US government officials are poised to reinstate wide-ranging regulations on internet providers which were revoked under the Trump administration.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair Jessica Rosenworcel is said to be planning to reintroduce the rules, after the Democrats took control of the regulatory body for the first time since December 2021 earlier this week.
Dubbed “net neutrality”, Rosenworcel’s rules will effectively aim to encourage equality on the internet, with broadband and mobile data providers unable to block or favour certain sites.
Providers, such as AT&T, Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA) and Verizon, will be barred from slowing or blocking access to chosen content and prioritising traffic to other selected sites, including those that pay.
“Do we want our broadband providers selling off where we go and what we do online?” Rosenworcel commented.
“Without reclassification, the FCC has limited authority to incorporate updated cybersecurity standards into our network policies.”
Originally introduced under the Obama administration, the rules were scrapped during Donald Trump’s tenure, with internet providers having previously fought the tougher regulation.