Gov. O’Malley: Keep ‘gatekeepers’ off the Internet

Outgoing Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley said on Twitter Monday that he backs the Obama administration’s support for strong rules on Internet service providers.

“I agree with President Obama’s Net Neutrality approach,” O’Malley said. “We shouldn’t have gatekeepers picking winners & losers online.

On Monday, Obama surprised many when he announced his support for rules that would bolster net neutrality — the idea that all content on the Internet should be treated in the same way.

The policies supported by the White House would make it easier for regulators to stop internet service providers from selectively interfering with the way data is transmitted to their customers.

The move is a victory for progressive groups, which had been urging Obama to act before the Federal Communications Commission decides new regulations for Internet providers.

O’Malley is considered to be a potential contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016. He has spoken out on Internet issues before: last month, he called Wi-Fi a “human right.”