Last year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to repeal net neutrality protections for Internet service. “Net neutrality” is the idea that the Internet is open and that access to legal content shouldn’t be restricted in any way. The FCC’s repeal removes protections that prohibited Internet Service Providers (ISPs) from blocking or slowing content, or from creating paid “fast lanes” for certain apps or websites. 

Now that the FCC’s repeal of net neutrality has been finalized, advocates for an open Internet are banding together, and many have sued the FCC. The legal battle is heading to the 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals in California, which will hear the case and ultimately rule whether the FCC’s repeal should stand.

eBay supports net neutrality and opposes undermining a robust and open Internet. We are concerned that, without net neutrality protections, large ISPs will be able to cut deals with websites or apps to provide paid, priority access, and could slow or block content for those that don’t cut such deals. In a world without net neutrality, Internet-enabled small businesses would be hit the hardest and small startups, like many of the ones that have reshaped the Internet as we know it, may never get their start. Click here to learn more about eBay’s stance on this important subject.

The eBay Government Relations team is actively engaged with legislators and regulators to help ensure that the Internet remains a fair and robust place for small businesses to grow and succeed.