US regulator orders rollback of 'net neutrality' rules

Net neutrality advocates rally in front of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ahead of Thursday's expected FCC vote repealing so-called net neutrality rules in Washington, U.S., December 13, 2017. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

US regulators voted Thursday to roll back so-called "net neutrality" rules that require internet providers to treat all traffic equally, amid an acrimonious debate over how it impacts online freedom.

The Federal Communications Commission, in a 3-2 vote, adopted a proposal by Republican-appointed chairman Ajit Pai, who said his plan would end "heavy-handed" rules which discourage investment and innovation.

Democratic member Mignon Clyburn, one of the two dissenters, said the agency "is handing the keys to the internet" to "a handful of multibillion-dollar corporations."

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