The Federal Communications Commission today gave companies the power to reshape Americans’ online experiences — saving faster speeds for certain sites and apps, the New York Times reported.
The agency scrapped a 2015 decision that banned broadband providers from blocking websites or charging for higher-quality service or certain content. The federal government now will deregulate high-speed internet service as a utility, like phone services.
Commission Chairman Ajit Pai said the move could help consumers by leading companies to offer consumers a wider variety of services. Pai and his two fellow GOP commissioners carried the 3-2 vote.
CNN offered live updates on the vote and noted that the move would allow service providers to play favorites by speeding or slowing traffic from specific apps and websites. The repeal of net neutrality could be reversed by courts or Congress.
The Washington Post called the vote a “sweeping act of deregulation.”
