Final answer:
Net neutrality prevents Internet providers from discriminating against content providers, ensuring equal treatment of all Internet data and prohibiting practices such as blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization. It is enforced by the FCC and is grounded in the Communications Act and the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
Step-by-step explanation:
Net Neutrality prevents Internet service providers from discriminating against particular Internet services or content providers. It ensures that all Internet data should be treated equally, prohibiting ISPs from engaging in practices like no blocking, no throttling, and no paid prioritization. These principles were established to maintain a free and open Internet, similar to other utilities like electricity and water, where service providers operate as common carriers.
Under net neutrality rules, broadband providers are legally obligated to disclose their practices concerning blocking, throttling, paid prioritization, and congestion management. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) enforces these rules and addresses complaints, ensuring that ISPs do not unreasonably interfere with access to the Internet. Moreover, these regulations are grounded in the strongest possible legal foundation by relying on multiple sources of authority, including Title II of the Communications Act and Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
The Open Internet rules, adopted on February 26, 2015, stand as a testament to the efforts made to protect Internet freedom and innovation, and they illustrate the ongoing debate about net neutrality and its importance for maintaining an equitable digital landscape for all users.