US: FTC, FCC spar over Net Neutrality rules

For the second time this month, a top Federal Trade Commission official has spoken out against proposed rules being considered by the Federal Communications Commission to oversee Net Neutrality.

According to reports, FTC Commissioner Maureen Ohlhausen spoke to reporters to challenge proposals that the FCC reclassify broadband as a common carrier. The move, Ohlhausen said, would place Internet service providers beyond the reach of FTC jurisdiction, and added that her concern “is really not so much for the FTC, but for the loss to consumers – that they would lose out from having the FTC’s active oversight.”

Reclassifying broadband as a common carrier would allow the FCC to regulate providers as it currently regulates telephone companies. Doing so is just one of several possible methods being currently considered by the communications regulator to protect Net Neutrality and ensure that leading ISPs do not charge popular content providers more for there service.

But proponents of this plan argue that existing antitrust law protects Net Neutrality.

Full content: Washington Post

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