During the heated debates of 2017 surrounding “net neutrality” regulations, dire warnings about the Trump administration’s rollback of these rules flooded the discourse. Democrats and elected officials like Sen. Bernie Sanders issued stark predictions, claiming that without net neutrality, the internet as we know it would cease to exist. Legacy media outlets echoed these sentiments, spreading alarmist narratives about the impending doom of free information exchange online.
Fast forward roughly six years, and the dire predictions have failed to materialize. Internet service providers haven’t throttled speeds or imposed charges for basic online activities like tweeting. On the contrary, internet speeds have improved, and investments in broadband access have increased. Despite this, the Biden administration is moving to reinstate net neutrality regulations.
The recent decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reintroduce net neutrality rules along party lines has stirred controversy. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, a Biden appointee, defended the move, arguing that a national net neutrality policy is essential for consumer protection, public safety, and national security.
However, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, a Republican appointee, dissented, criticizing the reinstatement as a governmental power grab. He argued that granting the government more authority to intervene in internet functions without sufficient justification could lead to unforeseen harms.
Carr’s concerns reflect broader conservative skepticism about unnecessary government intervention. The rationale for government interference should hinge on tangible problems that the free market and civil society cannot adequately address. In the case of net neutrality, the absence of real-world issues justifying drastic regulations suggests that government overreach is unwarranted.
The Biden administration’s persistence in reinstating net neutrality despite the lack of compelling evidence for its necessity raises suspicions of a power-hungry agenda. This move, coupled with other instances of expanding governmental control, indicates a broader pattern of disregard for limits on authority, which conservatives view as a potential threat to the future of freedom and innovation.
