ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press
Obama Opposes Internet Fast Lanes
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama says Internet providers shouldn’t be allowed to cut deals with online services like Netflix, Amazon or YouTube to move their content faster.
White House Urges Explicit Ban on Deals
In a statement released by the White House Monday, the president called for an “explicit ban” on such deals. Obama also said that federal regulators should reclassify the Internet as a public utility under Title II of the 1934 Communications Act.
Debate Between Industry and Regulators
Obama’s statement puts him in the middle of a debate between industry, which wants little regulation, and the Federal Communications Commission, which is under public pressure to prevent broadband providers from creating so-called Internet “fast lanes.”
