Montana becomes first state to implement net neutrality after FCC repeal

[Derleth]

Feeling proud of my state right now:

@The Hill

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock (D) signed an executive order on Monday requiring internet service providers with state contracts to abide by net neutrality principles.

The order makes his state the first to push back on the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to repeal the open internet rules last month.

It isn’t perfect:

The order says that in order to receive a contract with the state government, internet service providers must not engage in blocking or throttling web content or create internet fast lanes.

[snip]

“When the FCC repealed its net neutrality rules, it said consumers should choose,” Bullock said in his statement. “The State of Montana is one of the biggest consumers of internet services in our state. Today we’re making our choice clear: we want net neutrality.”

Ideally, it would require all ISPs to be neutral, but this is a positive step just the same.

[OttoDaFe]

For some reason I’m reminded of my grandfather (on whom be peace), who never got a driver’s license even when it was just a matter of plunking down fifty cents at the Anaconda city hall. Because by God, nobody was going to tell him whether or not he could drive!

The culprit in that case was the gummint, but from what I gathered he would have taken the same line with an ISP trying to tell him what he could or couldn’t see, and at what speed.

[Asimovian]

I think this is slightly better situated in MPSIMS. Thread relocated from IMHO.