As we’ve mentioned before, the debate over net neutrality isn’t just one of government-versus-business but one of business-versus-business. While we already knew that big-name Internet companies such as Netflix are strongly in favor of strong net neutrality rules, Bloomberg Businessweek reports that several other giant corporations have been quietly working behind the scenes to push the FCC to enact stronger net neutrality rules as well.
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“A corporate alliance with subtle interests in this fight has been quietly pushing the Federal Communications Commission for strict broadband rules,” writes Bloomberg Businessweek. “In a series of meetings this year attended by representatives from Ford Motor, Visa, United Parcel Service, and Bank of America, participants urged FCC commissioners to reclassify broadband service under Title II, according to documents filed with the FCC.”
So why were these huge companies, which typically aren’t the biggest fans of government regulation, pushing the FCC to reclassify ISPs under Title II? According to documents filed with the commission, all these companies are concerned that American ISPs have “terminating access monopolies,” which the companies were all concerned would be exploited to the detriment of online commerce as a whole.
These revelations are all very interesting even though the companies involved don’t want anyone to know about their lobbying and they’re all denying that they specifically lobbied the FCC to enact Title II even though the newly unearthed documents show otherwise.
Read the full Bloomberg Businessweek report by clicking the source link below.
