White House supports FCC plan to dismantle net neutrality
The FCC wants to wipe away net neutrality regulations despite a recent flood of public support for the open internet rules.
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Protesters gathered in front of the US Capitol to tell lawmakers they want them to protect net neutrality regulation.
The White House on Tuesday got behind the Federal Communication Commission's plan to roll back net neutrality regulations.
"We support the FCC chair's efforts to review and consider rolling back these rules, and believe that the best way to get fair rules for everyone is for Congress to take action and create regulatory and economic certainty," said Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders in a White House press briefing.
In May, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai introduced a proposal to return broadband to its previous classification and wipe away existing net neutrality rules. The Obama-era rules were crafted to prevent broadband companies from favoring their own content over competitors' services.
The regulations have been controversial because the FCC changed the classification of broadband in order to treat it like a public utility. Broadband and wireless companies say the regulations impose on the internet an outdated law designed for the old telephone network.
"The previous administration went about this the wrong way by imposing rules on ISPs through the FCC's Title II rulemaking power," said Sanders.
In response to the planned overhaul, the FCC has received a record-breaking 7.4 million comments. Roughly 2 million of those comments were filed last Wednesday, when thousands of activists, individuals and tech companies participated in an online "Day of Action" in support of an open internet.