FCC sued over new Internet rules

[The Northerner]

NEW YORK (AP) -- A media and Internet advocacy group sued the federal government on Wednesday over its new rules covering Internet traffic, saying they don't protect wireless traffic from interference by phone companies.

The group Free Press filed its challenge to the Federal Communications Commission's so-called "net neutrality" rules in federal court in Boston.

The rules were adopted in December and take effect in two months. They prohibit Internet service providers from favoring or discriminating against Internet content and services.

They give greater leeway to cellphone companies to manage data traffic because wireless systems are more easily overwhelmed. But Free Press objects to that distinction.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TEC_FCC_INTERNET_RULES


Although I support net neutrality 100%, shouldn't it have been passed by Congress? Considering that the FCC is part of the executive branch isn't its power granted from the laws passed by the legislative branch?

[midnight]

1. Awsome....

[jberryhill]

2. If the FCC is acting in its statutory mandate...

Then Congress doesn't have to do anything. It is somewhat more convenient for Congress to let the FCC and courts sort out the status quo before acting.

Given the amount of telecom money that goes to Congress, they would likely not even want to take up the issue, and let the nerds at FCC do their thing, rather than have those chits called in.