FCC’s Rules to Prevent ‘Digital Discrimination’ Draw Skepticism From Industry

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted new rules aiming to prevent what it terms digital discrimination in access to broadband services, but the move has drawn skepticism from the industry.
The new rules, approved on Nov. 15, aim to ensure that all Americans have equal access to reliable and high-speed broadband services without discrimination based on income level, race, and other protected classes.
They would allow the FCC to investigate possible instances of discrimination of broadband access and, when necessary, penalize companies that impede equal connectivity “without adequate justification.”
The FCC defines digital discrimination as “policies or practices” that “differentially impact” consumers’ broadband access without providing “genuine issues of technical or economic feasibility.”…