Obama: I'm Opposed to Paid Prioritization

President Barack Obama said Thursday (Oct. 9) that tiered Internet service should not be allowed, and he expected the FCC to insure that it did not happen.  

Asked at a California town hall meeting on innovation for his views on net neutrality, the president pointed out that it was an issue he had been thinking and talking about for awhile--since at least the 2008 campaign--and remained focused on. He said he expected the FCC's final rules would not allow a two-tiered Internet, though the decision was up to the FCC.

"[T]here are a lot of aspects to net neutrality," he said. "I know one of the things that people are most concerned about is paid prioritization, the notion that somehow some folks can pay a little more money and get better service, more exclusive access to customers through the Internet. That's something I’m opposed [to]. I was opposed to it when I ran. I continue to be opposed to it now.

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John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.