Big Cable appeared to be on the brink of ending net neutrality

Verizon’s victory was a dark day for open-internet activists. Big Cable appeared to be on the brink of ending net neutrality. The court victory meant the FCC no longer had the authority to stop internet service providers (ISPs) blocking or “unreasonably” discriminating against services.

After the decision, Netflix emerged as the poster child of blocking. The company had its service slowed by ISPs as they negotiated fees – a move Oliver described as having “all the ingredients of a Mob shakedown”. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Netflix founder Reed Hastings has become the tech industry’s loudest proponent of net neutrality. That spinning wheel many customers have dreaded while waiting for House of Cards or other Netflix shows to load has become a powerful avatar of what activists say is at stake in the debate.

The rules now likely to be brought before the FCC would give the regulator the power to oversee broadband under Title II of the communications act of 1996, giving it far greater authority over the industry and the power to ban “throttling” – deliberately slowing internet traffic.

There is still a long way to go. The five FCC commissioners will vote of the proposal on 26 February and ahead of the meeting, lobbying for changes will be intense. In the meantime, in Congress, Republicans are working on a bill that would undermine the FCC’s plans.