Congress Should Take Net Neutrality Regulations Off the Table Permanently to Aid Economic Recovery

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Proponents of net neutrality regulations promised dire consequences for Internet user experience if the Obama-era rules were repealed, but time has shown their predictions to be baseless. A new Competitive Enterprise Report argues Congress should go further than the Trump Administration and pre-empt state-level net neutrality regulations and codify the Internet’s status as an information service in order to aid economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.

Since the onset of the pandemic in March of 2020, Americans have conducted more of their lives online – work meetings, distance learning, socializing and more. This increased online activity has been made possible in part because since the FCC reversed course on net neutrality, broadband speeds have increased dramatically and private investment in infrastructure has gone up by more than $3 billion.

“Regulation deters investment and the coronavirus health crisis has revealed that ample bandwidth is vital for working and learning at home. Net neutrality regulations are at odds with encouraging infrastructure investment and with the flexibility of network management that has proved so crucial in keeping Americans online,” said report author and associate director of CEI’s Center for Technology and Innovation Jessica Melugin. “Congress should pass federal legislation preempting state net neutrality regulation and codifying the Internet’s classification as an information service. This would encourage investment in U.S. broadband infrastructure by eliminating the threat of state and federal regulation and benefit American citizens and businesses in the difficult struggle for economic recovery ahead.”

Read the report: Take Net Neutrality Regulations off the Table for Good

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