The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) and EDUCAUSE are pleased that the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted today to restore net neutrality protections, and with them, a national standard for preserving internet openness. In its order, the FCC wrote: “High-speed Internet connections are indispensable to every aspect of our daily lives, from work, education, and healthcare, to commerce, community, communication, and free expression.” An open internet is critical for colleges, universities, and research libraries to best serve the vital public interests at the core of their missions, as we wrote in December 2023 comments urging the FCC to adopt its proposed rule for “Safeguarding and Securing the Open Internet.”
With today’s vote, the commission classified public broadband internet access service as a telecommunications service under Title II of the Communications Act. This allowed the commission to create and enforce clear rules for internet service providers (ISPs) that will prevent them from blocking access to lawful content and devices, slowing down data traffic to unfairly serve their financial interests at the expense of others, or creating pay-to-play internet fast lanes.
In our comments and the net neutrality principles from which they derive, we advocated strongly for the exclusion of private end-user networks from the definition of broadband internet access service. Maintaining this long-standing policy will allow end users like libraries and universities to continue deciding how best to deploy the broadband services they obtain from network operators and commercial ISPs. The FCC notes that its decision to retain this approach “received record support, and no opposition,” and our communities are pleased to be among those expressing support for this historic decision.
About the Association of Research Libraries
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is a nonprofit organization of research libraries in Canada and the US whose vision is to create a trusted, equitable, and inclusive research and learning ecosystem and prepare library leaders to advance this work in strategic partnership with member libraries and other organizations worldwide. ARL’s mission is to empower and advocate for research libraries and archives to shape, influence, and implement institutional, national, and international policy. ARL develops the next generation of leaders and enables strategic cooperation among partner institutions to benefit scholarship and society. ARL is on the web at ARL.org.
About EDUCAUSE
EDUCAUSE (educause.edu) is a nonprofit association whose mission is to lead the way, advancing the strategic use of technology and data to further the promise of higher education. We connect and empower our member community through insights, advocacy, resources, and learning opportunities to anticipate trends and strengthen professional practice.
