Net Neutrality Explained

Net Neutrality says that the new regulations, passed by the Republican-controlled Federal Communications Commission's 3-2 vote, instead require companies like Verizon and Comcast to disclose if they block sites or give priority to their own content more than others — say by allowing Comcast unit NBCUniversal's sites to run at a faster clip than Time Warner's CNN.com. In theory, ISPs could charge subscribers more, too. Forrester Research analyst Susan Bidel points to other countries like Portugal and England where Internet providers offer monthly services with extra fees for social, messaging and video viewing. Companies like AT&T and Verizon “could charge extra here,”