Chamber steps into Obama Web battle

The Chamber of Commerce is pushing back against President Obama’s call for more Internet regulation, saying it would hurt job creation and business growth.

{mosads}One day after the president urged the Federal Communications Commission to impose the strictest rules possible on Internet providers like Verizon and Comcast, the Chamber asked the agency to exercise its independence.

“The U.S. Chamber of Commerce strongly opposes President Obama’s call for the FCC to impose antiquated Title II regulations on broadband and reverse two decades of bi-partisan support for a lightly-regulated Internet,” the Chamber said in a statement Tuesday. “As an independent agency, the FCC answers to Congress—not the administration.”

Title II regulations were originally passed as part of the Communications Act of 1934 to force carriers to set reasonable rates for wire and radio communications service.

The Chamber said further regulating the Internet would deter private-sector investment in broadband technology, harm innovation and slow economic growth and job creation.

“Jobs and new business opportunities are being created because broadband providers are investing tens of billions of dollars every year to upgrade their networks allowing for higher speeds and greater capacity,” the Chamber said. “At the same time, innovative broadband-enabled applications, services and devices are being developed.”

Net neutrality proponents say the new rules would keep Internet providers from blocking or slowing Web traffic to consumers and being able to create Internet fast lanes for some companies like Netflix.