Tangle PREVIEW: The Friday Edition. - Whatever happened to net neutrality?
Mar 13, 2026
A preview revisiting the 2017 repeal of net neutrality and the media frenzy that followed. Short segments trace legal and regulatory twists, from FCC classifications to key court battles. The show highlights state-level responses and recent rulings that reshaped the policy landscape.
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Predicted Internet Collapse Didn’t Materialize
- Repealing net neutrality in 2017 prompted apocalyptic warnings but visible, widespread harms have been hard to find since the rules were rolled back.
- Will Kavak contrasts dire predictions with the lack of clear, measurable internet collapse after the FCC vote and June 2018 implementation.
Classification Determines Net Neutrality Power
- Net neutrality debates trace to early FCC classifications: Title I information service vs Title II telecommunications service, which determine regulatory power.
- Will Kavak outlines key court battles (Brand X, Comcast, Verizon) that made classification central to enforceability.
Ajit Pai’s Repeal And Massive Public Response
- Ajit Pai, appointed FCC chair in 2017, led the rollback that reclassified broadband under Title I and removed anti-throttling and blocking rules.
- The repeal generated a record 20 million public comments and passed on December 14, 2017, taking effect June 11, 2018.