Obama says FCC should reclassify internet as a utility

[Xithras]

14. I'm on the fence with this one.

There is a reason why Title II support hasn't been pursued before now. A robust Congressional act to ensure net neutrality would have been far preferable to a utility declaration.

The problem with a utility declaration is that it puts the Internet solidly under the FCC's control. They can potentially regulate it just like broadcast TV or any other type of utility. The problem? Let's say a Republican wins in 2016, or 2020, or 2024. The Republican controlled FCC will have the power to pass regulations on the Internet without Congressional approval. If the FCC decides to ban porn on the Internet, they merely need to pass a regulation to ban it (the same way they ban porn on broadcast TV). You may not care about porn, but imagine the possibilities when a Republican administration is given carte blanche to pass regulations controlling the Internet, and the only recourse for the American people is to go to court and fight for injunctions to stop them.

I am 100% for net neutrality, but I don't think that redefining it as a utility is the proper way to go about getting it. It's a short term win, with some serious long term negative implications.