Ajit Pai, FCC chairman, touts return to Clinton-era framework as net neutrality ends

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai touted a return to past policies Monday morning as net neutrality regulations end.

Mr. Pai said this new approach is actually more like the policy set in place by former President Bill Clinton. The current FCC chairman explained that like Mr. Clinton, he aimed to adopt a more market-based approach rather than a “slow moving utility.”

The FCC named the order “Restoring Internet Freedom,” and believes that deregulating the internet will be better for consumers in the long run.

“President Clinton’s framework, it served us well from ’96 until 2015, and I’m confident going forward,” he said on “CBS This Morning.”

.@GayleKing: It seems like it opens the door for companies to do exactly what you don’t want them to do.
@AjitPaiFCC: Pres. Clinton’s framework served us well from ‘96 to 2015, I’m confident that going forward we will have cops on the beat at the FCC and FTC to prevent that. pic.twitter.com/mEc9JeLHTb

— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 11, 2018

In regards to concerns over companies’ ability to manipulate speeds and access to certain websites, Mr. Pai emphasized the new transparency regulations put in place by the FCC. He explained that all companies had to disclose their business practices, and any found complicit in competitive market manipulation would be punished.

The FCC empowered the Federal Trade Commission to “take targeted action against any bad apple in the internet economy that harms consumers,” he said.

Strengthening the FTC was a highlight Mr. Pai emphasized, because only that agency “can apply a consistent level of privacy protection for consumers across the internet economy” including companies like Facebook or Google.

Mr. Pai also responded to criticism from those in support of net neutrality, who accuse the FCC of covering up why its comment section was removed. He said that he relied on the career IT experts for advice on issues like that.