Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today reacted to news that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will soon rule that the Comcast Corporation violated federal policy when it delayed some Internet traffic in order to manage its network.

“To keep traffic flowing for all its Internet subscribers, Comcast slowed the connections of some peer-to-peer file-sharing users who were hogging bandwidth and creating traffic jams for average users,” said CAGW President Tom Schatz. “Internet service providers should have the flexibility to manage their own networks to ensure a smooth connection for all users. The FCC decision will end up hurting the vast majority of consumers in an attempt to protect a small group of heavy bandwidth users in an apparent nod to the somewhat vague and shifting ideal of ‘network neutrality.’”

As applied here, “net neutrality” would allow the federal government sweeping new authority to shape the content and use of the Internet. It would lead to a naïve and unrealistic mandate that ISPs carry every single piece of content and every service available, regardless of cost or need. Should some of the various definitions of net neutrality become law, as traffic on the Internet continues to skyrocket, the delivery of important content, such as medical information, would receive the same treatment as spam.

Consumers have more Internet choices than ever before. Cable, phone, satellite and wireless broadband providers are competing head-to-head for customers and providing better services at lower prices. Forcing “net neutrality” regulations would suppress innovation and limit investment.

“Since more broadband competitors offer consumers more choice, and therefore more protection from any given provider’s market power, net neutrality regulations harm Internet users. Congress has repeatedly rejected net neutrality regulations, but now the FCC is attempting to impose it by bureaucratic fiat,” concluded Schatz. “Government mandates on service providers will severely hamper the long-term development of the Internet and increase costs for taxpayers and consumers.”

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.