A panel of federal judges upheld the government’s net neutrality rules in a decision that reaffirms the Obama administration’s efforts to regulate providers of broadband internet.
Obama’s net neutrality rules are upheld, which is good for Netflix and Google
Expect the telecommunications industry to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court.
Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images
A majority of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled that the FCC has the authority to impose utility-style regulation on broadband providers, rejecting a variety of telecommunications industry challenges to the open Internet rules put in place in 2015.
It’s also a big win for companies like Netflix, which have argued that legitimate online content should be distributed without fear of being blocked or channeled into a slow lane.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler applauded the decision.
“Today’s ruling is a victory for consumers and innovators, who deserve unfettered access to the entire web, and it ensures the internet remains a platform for unparalleled innovation, free expression and economic growth,” Wheeler said in a statement.
The industry is likely to appeal the matter to the U.S. Supreme Court.
“We have always expected this issue to be decided by the Supreme Court, and we look forward to participating in that appeal,” said David McAtee, AT&T’s general counsel.
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.
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