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The Trump administration is set to repeal the rules that require internet service providers to treat all web traffic equally.
After months of debate, the Federal Communications Commission — led by Republican Chairman Ajit Pai — will officially vote on Thursday, Dec. 14, to eliminate net neutrality protections implemented under former President Barack Obama. The meeting begins at 10:30 am ET / 7:30 am PT.
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To ardent open-internet supporters, Pai’s efforts will open the door for telecom giants to block or slow down access to web pages and other services. It will also create so-called “fast lanes,” where ISPs can charge web companies for faster delivery of their content.
To telecom giants like AT&T, Charter, Comcast* and Verizon, however, Pai’s repeal is another major victory that spares them from government regulation. And Pai contends that his approach — greater transparency, with another agency taking the lead in overseeing the web — is just enough to protect the internet from interference.
The vote today — which isn’t in doubt at the Republican-led FCC — follows months of public protest led by consumer groups like Free Press and tech giants like Amazon, Facebook and Google. More than 21 million comments flooded the telecom agency, many urging Pai to reverse course.
The FCC’s five commissioners will convene their meeting at 10:30 am ET. There are multiple items on the agenda, including a major overhaul of the country’s media ownership laws.
* Comcast, through its NBCU arm, is an investor in Vox Media, which owns this website.
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.
