Source: Ars Technica
A federal appeals court has eliminated the FCC's authority to prevent internet providers from blocking or throttling specific services. The ruling removes a core guardrail against ISPs fragmenting broadband into tiered access tiers. Companies like Comcast and Verizon can now prioritize their own streaming services or paid fast lanes over competitors, converting infrastructure control into a competitive advantage. Network neutrality enforcement—already weakened by regulatory shifts between administrations—now lacks basic non-discrimination protections, exposing startups and smaller platforms to ISP leverage.