US Senate votes to restore net neutrality

The US Senate has voted in favour of overturning the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) decision to repeal net neutrality rules. In a 52-47 vote, the Senate approved a joint resolution providing for ‘congressional disapproval’ of the FCC’s December 2017 order. The FCC Restoring Internet Freedom Order reintroduces the classification of broadband Internet access as a lightly-regulated information service. Also, it requires Internet service providers (ISPs) to disclose information about their network management practices, performance characteristics, and commercial terms of service, but it eliminates clear net neutrality rules, including the general conduct rule and the prohibitions on paid prioritisation, blocking, and throttling. To restore the old FCC rules (dating back to 2015), the resolution has to pass in the House of Representatives and to be signed into law by the US President.​