State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

Washington Governor Signs First State Net Neutrality Bill

New York Times: Residents of Washington State are getting so-called net neutrality rules back, with the nation’s first state law that prevents internet service providers from blocking and slowing down content online.

The law, signed on Monday by Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, is the most sweeping state action so far against new federal rules that strip away regulations on how high-speed internet providers handle digital data. The dismantling of the nationwide rules, approved by the Federal Communications Commission last year, set off a fierce outcry from consumers and tech companies.

Opponents of the change in the federal regulations fear that without strong rules, internet service providers will create faster and slower lanes online to extract fees for better service. The F.C.C. said it got rid of the rules because they restrained broadband providers like Verizon and Comcast from experimenting with new business models and investing in new technologies.

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