Cengage Advantage Books: Business Law Today, The Essentials 11th Edition by Roger LeRoy Miller

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ADAPTING THE LAW TO THE ONLINE ENVIRONMENT
Imposing a 1930s Regulatory Law on Broadband Operators
Since the advent of the Internet, it has remained largely unregulated. President Bill Clinton (1993-2001) said clearly and often that the Internet should remain lightly regulated, at most. During the Obama administration, however, pressure from the president himself applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) started to change that thinking.
An Unsuccessful Attempt to Impose Regulation on Internet Service Providers
In 2010, under the authority of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the FCC attempted to regulate Internet service providers by enacting the "Open Internet Order." Under this order, the FCC would have required broadband Internet service providers to transfer data files equally, without consideration of the size or source of the files-so-called net neutrality. The policy prohibited providers from transmitting certain content at slower speeds or higher costs than other types of content. Challenged in court, the order was overturned.
The Advent of "Obamanet"
In early 2015, the FCC voted to regulate Internet service providers as "common carriers" under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934. Normally, a common carrier is a business that transports things from one place to another, such as a trucking company. Under the Communications Act, this definition was widened to include telephone companies. Under the new FCC rules, the Internet would fall under the act as well. The new rules are still under discussion, and legal challenges are expected.
What the New FCC Rules Mean
Here is a summary of the new rules:
• No Internet provider can prevent a user from accessing "legal content, applications, services, or non-harmful devices" on the Internet. The goal to is prevent censorship and discrimination.
• No Internet provider can deliberately reduce the speed of data from particular sites or applications.
• No Internet service provider can charge content providers more to provide them with faster service.
Critical Thinking
Some observers predict that numerous lawsuits will be filed against the FCC in the immediate future. Why would this be likely