President Obama Calls for More Regulation of Internet Providers

Carrie Dedrick | Updated: Nov 11, 2014

President Obama Calls for More Regulation of Internet Providers

President Barack Obama has spoken out in support of net neutrality, or regulating internet providers to prevent the cutting of deals with internet services to move content faster. 

Controversy on the subject has been brimming for years. Proponents of the regulations argue that services such as Netflix or YouTube should not be allowed to create internet “fast lanes” at a charge.

In a statement, Obama said, "For almost a century, our law has recognized that companies who connect you to the world have special obligations not to exploit the monopoly they enjoy over access in and out of your home or business. That is why a phone call from a customer of one phone company can reliably reach a customer of a different one, and why you will not be penalized solely for calling someone who is using another provider. It is common sense that the same philosophy should guide any service that is based on the transmission of information -- whether a phone call, or a packet of data."

Obama’s support for the regulations was met with criticism from trade groups and congressional Republicans. 

Michael Powell, president and CEO of the National Cable and Telecommunications Association said, "We are stunned the president would abandon the longstanding, bipartisan policy of lightly regulating the Internet and calling for extreme [regulation].”

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz called net neutrality to “Obamacare for the internet.” 

"The Internet should not operate at the speed of government,” Cruz wrote on Twitter. 

Publication date: November 11, 2014



President Obama Calls for More Regulation of Internet Providers