The Federal Communications Commission confirms its new chairman, Ajit Pai, who is a staunch opponent of Net Neutrality. The new FCC chief's directive on returning the "fast lanes" for those who pay premium may not impact big companies with the resources but could affect start-ups and sole traders from accessing an even playing field.

The New FCC chief has been a commissioner of the agency since 2012, but not technically an Obama appointee. Following the tradition of giving two seats to the minority since the majority can only hold three seats, Obama appointed Pai upon the recommendation of Republican and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Shortly after winning the election, President Donald Trump then appointed Pai as his first choice to be the new FCC chief. Pai has been a staunch opponent of Net Neutrality and does not believe in the notion that internet providers are gatekeepers controlling what consumers can access.

The new FCC chief even reiterated a prediction that the agency's Open Internet Order that established Net Neutrality could be overturned. Pai wrote in a letter that his top priority is to revisit the Title II Net Neutrality proceeding.

Net Neutrality pertains to the idea that every byte of data coursing through the internet is created equally. This negates the concept of having "fast lanes," which allow internet users who pay high premium to have faster access to larger bandwidth. Now, the new FCC chief appears to be supportive of "fast lanes," which create good business especially for the likes of heavy internet traffic users such as Netflix, Amazon and Hulu, according to The Inquirer.

Charging premium price to heavy internet users mean bigger revenues for internet providers. The new FCC Chief confirmation also means positive news for rural broadband. However, the lack of Net Neutrality is not good for small businesses, sole traders or start-ups, who may not have the resources to pay the high premium for faster internet use.

Hence, the new FCC chief has been accused by open internet advocates as looking out for corporate interests at the expense of the "little guy," who will have difficulty accessing an even playing field, The Verge reported.

Moreover, the new FCC chief is also reportedly opposed to a number of things like imposing a stricter requirement on ISPs to ensure the privacy and protection of the consumers. Pai is also said to be against in using broadband benchmarks to achieve higher speeds and in regulating mergers as well as subsidizing broadband to low-income households.

Topics Net Neutrality