President Trump has appointed Ajit Pai as the next FCC chairman.
Pai, a commissioner appointed by Obama in 2012, voted against outgoing chairman Tom Wheeler’s Net Neutrality order in 2015. Still, the order to classify broadband internet as a public utility passed.
[aditude-amp id="flyingcarpet" targeting='{"env":"staging","page_type":"article","post_id":2156059,"post_type":"story","post_chan":"none","tags":null,"ai":false,"category":"none","all_categories":"business,entrepreneur,media,","session":"B"}']As far back as 2014, Trump has opposed Net Neutrality. Misunderstanding Wheeler’s order, the President said at the time that “Obama’s attack on the internet is another top down power grab. Net neutrality is the Fairness Doctrine. Will target conservative media.”
Pai boasted that Net Neutrality’s “days are numbered” at a think tank gala in December. “Today, I am more confident than ever that this prediction will come true.” The new chairman, in his words, aims to “fire up the weed whacker and remove those rules that are holding back investment, innovation, and job creation.”
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact. Learn More