Net giants urge court to reinstate repealed net neutrality rules

Representatives of internet giants like Facebook, Google and Amazon on Monday urged a federal appeals court to reinstate the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) net neutrality rules.

Net neutrality rules, ideally prohibited internet service providers from blocking, throttling or prioritizing most web traffic. The FCC officially repealed in June causing a huge outrcry.

The Internet Association (IA) and the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), two of Silicon Valley’s most prominent trade groups, filed in support of a lawsuit against the FCC for its repeal of the 2015 regulations late last year.

The lawsuit was filed earlier this year by a coalition of Democratic state attorneys general and smaller internet and media companies.

“Absent conduct rules, the ‘virtuous cycle’ in which all participants in the internet ecosystem are able to prosper on account of open access to content has been replaced by a system in which [internet service providers] have the incentive and ability to stifle both consumer choice and new online offerings,” they wrote in their filing.

It’s indisputable that net neutrality protections help consumers, promote innovation, and foster competition online,” Michael Beckerman, IA’s CEO, said in a statement. “Strong net neutrality protections ensure that consumers, not ISPs decide what websites and apps you can use.”

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