With President Obama’s support of net neutrality rules – a set of regulations that would force internet service providers to load all websites at equal speed – the international community believes that the door is open to international regulation of the internet more broadly.
At least that’s the case being made by Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), who told reporters today that his subcommittee would hold hearings on how to stop the international community from encroaching on internet freedom.
A conference in Dubai last month voted to create a regime that would supposedly “help governments fight spam and improve cybersecurity,” according to The Hill. Walden said he was “very concerned” about the Dubai conference, and that “American policy should … make sure the Internet is free from legacy regulation and from countries that have a different view about democracy and freedom.”
Regulating the internet should be largely off-limits. But Democrats have never met a regulatory regime they couldn’t get behind.