An appeals court upheld the Federal Communications Commission’s net neutrality rules on Tuesday, requiring internet providers to treat all web traffic equally.
The three-judge panel’s 2-1 decision is another victory for consumer advocates, the regulator and the Obama administration who have campaigned for years to protect an open internet.
While it is a major setback for the cable companies and other internet service providers that lined up to oppose the rule-making, it is unlikely to be the last time the rules are challenged; both sides expect the case to eventually land before the supreme court.
The rules, which change the FCC’s classification of internet service providers by treating them like a public utility, attempt to prevent companies that provide internet connections from privileging traffic from one source over another.
An army of internet activists fought for the net neutrality rules passed by the FCC in 2015. Before the ruling, more than 4m comments were sent to the regulator. The legal challenge from the cable industry was almost immediate.