Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation published a new research paper unpacking the Federal Communications Commission’s push to revive net neutrality. After a thorough historical review of the issue, a brief quantitative analysis, and an examination of proponent’s justifications of net neutrality, the paper concludes that the internet service provider market continues to make internet more accessible, affordable, and non-discriminatory without such regulations.
“When the FCC moved to repeal net neutrality regulations in 2017, ranking Democrat members warned that the internet as we knew it would cease to exist,” said TPPF’s David Dunmoyer. “Not only did that not happen, but the data indicates consumer welfare and access to affordable, non-discriminatory internet improved after relinquishing the FCC’s power over ISPs.”
“Now is not the time to reintroduce the net neutrality regime,” said TPPF’s Greyson Gee. “Under the Restoring Internet Freedom Order of the Trump administration, research indicates that consumer satisfaction has increased, consumer costs have decreased, and broadband access continues to expand. To restore net neutrality regulations would mean undoing the impressive innovation of the free market over the past five years.”
For more information on net neutrality, the Foundation released a video which can be accessed here and submitted comments to the FCC urging them to promote innovation and development in the ISP market.
Read the full study here.