American congressman, Clifford Stearns, introduced a new bill that would unfortunately make it harder for the FCC to enforce net neutrality rules.

Before the FCC could reclassify Internet access as a telecommunications service, they would have to develop and submit a large report that shows proof of current market failure (according to this new bill that Stearns produced). In more detail, the desirable FCC report, which Stearns would like, would have to show that:

"There is a market failure in the provision of such information service or Internet access service" and that "there is substantial evidence that the market failure is causing specific, identified harm to consumers by preventing a substantial number of consumers nationwide from accessing a substantial amount of lawful Internet content, applications, and services of their choice on a continuing basis."

Basically, the FCC would have to produce an extremely detailed cost benefit analysis of its new rules. This bill wouldn't allow the FCC to prohibit network management and they also wouldn't be able to interfere with "measures designed to prevent or deter unauthorized or illegal activity, including copyright infringement."

You can view Stearns' new bill here.

SaveOurNet.ca will have more on this issue as the story develops.