It's finally happening: Net neutrality rules that sparked intense debate to end next month

Mike Snider | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption What the end of net neutrality means for you Net neutrality as we’ve known it is over. The Federal Communications Commission voted to repeal rules over how Internet service providers, or ISPs, grant online access. And the change could have significant consequences for your Internet.

The Federal Communications Commission's rules preventing Internet service providers from blocking or slowing legal traffic, or charging for faster delivery of some content, passed with much fanfare in 2015, will be history on June 11.

That's two months later than expected but way too soon for supporters of the Obama-era measures, who are suing and pushing for Congressional measures to bring back the so-called net neutrality rules.

These are set to replaced by a set of lighter-touch regulations passed five months ago. The new rules, the Restoring Internet Freedom order approved by the FCC in December 2017, require ISPs to disclose any blocking, throttling or prioritization of their own content or from their partners. But they aren't prevented from doing so.

ISPs have said they won't block or throttle legal websites, though they've left open the potential for charging more for some data delivery.

The order will go into effect next month. Originally, it was expected the rules would take effect in April, but the Office of Management and Budget needed additional time to vet the new regulations.

“Now, on June 11, these unnecessary and harmful Internet regulations will be repealed and the bipartisan, light-touch approach that served the online world well for nearly 20 years will be restored," FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said in a statement Thursday. Pai, a Republican, who voted against the 2015 rules enacted under an Obama-era FCC, was appointed chairman by President Trump in January 2017.

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Under the new rules, the Federal Trade Commission will be the agency to handle complaints about broadband privacy and unfair or deceptive business practices by ISPs. "We look forward to working closely with the FTC to safeguard a free and open Internet," Pai said.

Some Congressional Democrats aren't comforted by Pai's assurances and are seeking a repeal of their own, the overturning of the 2017 order that ends the 2015 rules. Senate Democrats on Wednesday said they have the support — 49 Democrats and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine — for a Congressional Review Act vote to undo the Pai-led FCC's measure.

A vote is expected next week in the Senate. However, in the U.S. House, a CRA measure needs more Republicans to reach a majority vote. And even if that is accomplished, the measure requires approval by President Trump.

That's unlikely as Trump had called the Obama-era rules a "power grab."

Other actions underway by supporters of the original 2015 net neutrality rules:

State attorneys general in 23 states and the District of Columbia have filed suits challenging the 2017 rules. And several governors have passed executive orders requiring ISPs doing business with their states to follow Net-neutrality conduct.

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Follow USA TODAY reporter Mike Snider on Twitter: @MikeSnider.