WASHINGTON — Next month, a wonky government agency will rule on the fate of the Internet. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is expected to grant a major victory to net neutrality advocates, a stunning turnaround following years of conventional wisdom to the contrary.
But advocates aren’t celebrating yet. Instead, they’re watching to see if the FCC will create rules that are strong and enforceable, or that leave gaping holes for telecom and cable companies to drive through. They are also eyeing a Republican-backed proposal that, they say, will undermine a free and open Internet.
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Still, it’s not clear how much wiggle room Wheeler’s rules will leave. He has said that he favors standards that are “just and reasonable,” not simply favorable to the ISPs.
Engstrom told HuffPost that even if the FCC only decides on Title II in this round of rulemaking, and doesn’t clarify additional rules until afterward, “that’s certainly preferable to the proposals coming out of Congress.”
