President Obama urges the FCC to treat the internet as a utility

President Obama has been a proponent of net neutrality for what seems like ages, which explains why he just did what he did. In a just-posted YouTube video (and Medium post) and he’s just asked the FCC do what online activists have been hoping for — he’s urging the the commission to officially classify internet service under Title II of the Telecommunications Act, which would essentially mean internet access would be governed the same way telephone service is. Doing so would also mean the potentially hairy legal loophole that could give rise of prioritized service and online fast lanes wouldn’t be an issue anymore, either. Huzzah! As the president notes in that brief video address (which you can peek at after the jump) though, the FCC is an independent body and he can’t make them do anything. It’s on Chairman Tom Wheeler and his ilk to take a stand, though whether or not they will is still up in the air.

But let’s back up for a moment: why all the fuss about Title II? The juiciest, most pertinent bit lives in subsection 202, which states that common carriers (in this case, ISPs) wouldn’t be able to “make any unjust or unreasonable discrimination in charges, practices, classifications, regulations, facilities, or services.”

This is a developing story, please refresh for updates.

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Source: WhiteHouse.gov