FCC Passes Net Neutrality Regulations

WASHINGTON— The Federal Communications Commission approved a net neutrality policy for an open Internet by a 3-2 vote at its Thursday meeting.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said that the policy will ensure "that no one — whether government or corporate — should control free open access to the Internet."

But the plan to regulate how ISPs treat traffic on networks is expected to unleash a storm of litigation from those providers and perhaps put pressure on federal lawmakers to settle through legislation.

Many, however, believe that an equal playing field is the only way to go — and that the past 20 years of an expanding web proves it.

“Net neutrality is one of the fundamental reasons why the Internet age has seen a gargantuan explosion of communication, artistic and political expression, business models and corresponding products and services that have transformed the day-to-day lives of most Americans,” wrote Greg Piccionelli in an XBIZ World column in March’s edition.

“The loss of net neutrality correspondingly risks the loss of equal access to what is rapidly becoming a unitarily converging medium of human communication.”

Stuart Lawley of ICM Registry — the operator of .xxx and two other top-level domains starting Sunday, .porn and .adult — told Gigaom.com today that if a net neutrality wasn’t passed, the online adult industry would be easy targets for throttling.

“One gigabyte of data is one gigabyte of data, whether it’s ‘House of Cards’ or Shemales.xxx,” Lawley said. “What the consumers is paying for is the big pipe, and the speed of the pipe and quality of data that comes down that pipe.”

Lawley pointed out to Gigaom that ISPs could use domain suffixes as a source of discrimination when delivering web traffic, and not just porn domains like .xxx.

Without net neutrality rules, Lawley noted that an ISP could slow traffic of sites that suggest a religious affiliation: “You could have ISPs run by certain people who have certain racial or religious views who might slow Jewish websites.”

Today’s decision by the FCC comes after a year of intense public interest, with the FCC receiving 4 million public comments from companies, trade associations, advocacy groups and individuals.

The net neutrality provisions that were voted on today put a ban on blocking and throttling traffic, a ban on paid prioritization, and a requirement to disclose network management practices.

ISPs will not be allowed to block or degrade access to legal content, applications services, and non-harmful devices or favor some traffic over others in exchange for payment.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

2025 XBIZ Amsterdam Website Launches With Call for Speakers

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the website for its annual European conference, XBIZ Amsterdam, is now live.

NC Governor Vetoes Bill Targeting Adult, Could Face Override

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein today vetoed a bill imposing new regulations that adult industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

25,000 Sign Petition to Legalize Pornography in Ukraine

An OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine has amassed the 25,000 signatures required for official consideration by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

WannaCollab Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

WannaCollab has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

FSC Unpacks SCOTUS Age Verification Ruling in Webinar

The Free Speech Coalition conducted a public webinar Tuesday to help adult industry stakeholders understand the Supreme Court’s recent decision in FSC v. Paxton, and its potential implications.

UK Lawmaker Calls for Appointment of 'Porn Minister'

Baroness Gabrielle Bertin, the Conservative member of Parliament who recently convened a new anti-pornography task force, is calling for the appointment of a “minister for porn,” according to British news outlet The Guardian.

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

TTS Opens UK Testing Location

Talent Testing Service (TTS) has opened a new U.K. location in Ware, Hertfordshire.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect in South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

FSC Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Texas AV Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released a statement responding to last week's Supreme Court decision on FSC v. Paxton, the Texas age verification law.

Show More