Repeal of net neutrality officially in Federal Register

Feb. 22 (UPI) -- The recent Federal Communications Commission order curbing net neutrality is officially on the record, government records show.

The order, named Restoring Internet Freedom, published Thursday morning in the Federal Register repeals the Obama-era net neutrality rules that regulated the Internet like a utility.

The repeal order passed by the FCC in December is scheduled to take effect on April 23.

The move has support from the telecom industry, CNN reported, which will be free from rules barring businesses from manipulating access to online content once the order takes effect.

Net neutrality's backers point to the telecom industry's support as a sign that the repeal will be bad for consumers.

Technology news website TechCrunch reported that a number of lawsuits are challenging the FCC decision and some states have passed or will pass net neutrality laws in their own jurisdictions.

"Today it is official: the FCC majority has taken the next step in handing the keys to the internet over to billion-dollar broadband providers by publishing the Destroying Internet Freedom Order in the Federal Register," FCC commissioner Mignon Clyburn said in a statement.

Clyburn, who voted against the repeal, called the decision "one more anti-consumer notch of this FCC's belt."