In November 2017, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), under Chairman Ajit Pai, voted to dismantle regulations that prohibit broadband providers from blocking or slowing internet traffic and ban them from offering fast lanes to companies willing to pay more to reach consumers faster than competitors. The FCC’s decision was challenged by several groups in court. On October 1, 2019, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the FCC’s decision but found that the FCC had overstepped its authority when it banned states from enacting their own net neutrality rules. California, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont and Washington have already enacted legislation or adopted resolutions protecting net neutrality. Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia have introduced bills and resolutions. NAR will continue to work with Congress and the FCC to protect our members’ ability to freely share lawful content on the internet.
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