As fourth anniversary of repeal of heavy-handed internet regulations passes, Democrats look to needlessly reimplement rules

The fourth anniversary of the repeal of Title II regulations on internet providers is a good time to reflect on the folly put forth by the left that the move would result in the downfall of the internet, especially as a Democrat-led Federal Communications Commission (FCC) looks to reinstate net neutrality.

Given the quietness from the left in the ensuing years as the dire predictions didn’t come to pass, it’s easy to forget the hoopla that led up to the FCC’s vote in 2017 on the issue.

Nathan Leamer, who served as policy adviser to former FCC Chairman Ajit Pai (who led the vote to repeal the rules) tweeted on Tuesday that CNN’s headline of “End of the internet as we know it” should be “in the hall of fame for misinformation.”

This was part of a series of tweets from Leamer on the fourth anniversary as he noted that “Four years ago today the FCC rightly repealed net neutrality regulations. And guess what? The Internet works fine. But never forget the hyperbolic predictions.”

Pai noted in his own tweet on Tuesday that “the Internet died – or so we were told by politicians, ‘journalists,’ and others who should have known better.”

Pai pointed out that since 2017, fixed broadband speeds are up 172 percent, mobile speeds are up 300 percent and million more people have internet access. That’s because, as the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) has reported, investment increased after the Title II rules and the uncertainty they created for providers were removed.

The Title II rules, as previously implemented, prevented internet service providers from blocking, throttling or prioritizing data, but there was scant evidence that providers commonly engaged in such behavior before Title II net neutrality rules were implemented. TPA, in a 2019 investigation, found few complaints of bad actions by providers after the rules were reversed. In other words, the predictions from the left that providers would take advantage of the situation haven’t come to pass.

Despite no clear evidence why Title II and net neutrality is needed, Democrats seem determined to reimplement those regulations under new Democratic Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, who previously dubbed “corrupt” the decision to end the rules.

Gig Sohn, a former FCC counsel and self-described “net neutrality pioneer,” is the Democrats’ nominee for the open fifth seat on the commission and is a big proponent of the plan to reimplement the rules. She said in a 2019 interview with Vox that the FCC under Pai “abdicated its responsibility to protect consumers and competition in the broadband market.”

The truth is that the decision by Pai and his fellow Republicans on the FCC in 2017 has boosted investment and broadband growth in the ensuring four years. A reversal of course would be a mistake and stymie the progress made to close the digital divide under the previous administration.

Johnny Kampis is a senior fellow and investigative reporter for the Taxpayers Protection Alliance.