Huge win for the Internet, as U.S. Court of Appeals upholds hard-won Net Neutrality rules

Key ruling prohibiting Internet slow lanes sends strong signal to Canada and the European Union which are currently reviewing their own Net Neutrality rules

June 14, 2016– In a huge win for Internet users, a top U.S. federal court upheld some of the strongest Net Neutrality rules in the world. The long-awaited decision, handed out by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Tuesday morning, continues the FCC’s prohibition of Internet slow lanes and sends a strong signal to Canada and the European Union, which are each currently reviewing their own Net Neutrality rules.

The ruling that high-speed Internet should be viewed as a utility equally accessible to all Americans came in response to a Big Telecom challenge to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)'s Open Internet Order, which came into effect last June, after a campaign that saw millions of people speak out for an open Internet.

“This is an historic win that continues to prohibit Internet slow lanes and ensures the Internet is seen as an essential utility that should be accessible to everybody, rather than a luxury for those who can afford it,” said Katy Anderson, OpenMedia’s digital rights specialist.

“The ruling also makes clear that the FCC has the legal authority to safeguard Internet users in this way. This would never have happened without one of the longest and most sustained campaigns for the open Internet in history. It’s sure to inspire Internet users across the world to continue working for an Internet that is truly free and open.”

The U.S. court’s decision sends a strong signal to Canada and the European Union: The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) recently launched a hearing into Internet pricing, and is asking for public comments until June 28. In the E.U., the Body of European Regulators (BEREC) is in the process of issuing Net Neutrality guidelines for all member countries.

Over five million people spoke out at StopTheSlowdown.net as part of the joint campaign to win strong Net Neutrality rules last year.