Dive Brief:

• President Barack Obama Monday urged the Federal Communications Commission to adopt rules to safeguard net neutrality, including prohibitions against “fast lanes” and “slow lanes” that many say would stifle innovation and create new inequities regarding who can harness the Internet.

• The president acknowledged that as an independent agency the FCC will have the last word, but outlined a plan that would include no blocking by ISPs, no “throttling” or slow-downs, increased transparency, and no paid prioritization. He also said it would be useful to regulate the companies that control the Internet much like utilities so that their monopoly-like dominance of the market won’t hurt consumers.

• FCC chairman Tom Wheeler welcomed the president’s statement and essentially said it would be added to the many public comments the commission has received. Several Republicans objected to the president’s statement.

Dive Insight:

Net neutrality recently has been a topic no longer relegated to geeky discussion and protest. More and more, people are alarmed at the thought that Internet speeds and performance could be greatly altered, at least for smaller businesses, households, or anyone not able to keep up with rising fees. President Obama strengthened his position Monday, bolstering net neutrality advocates, which increasingly include a diverse group of businesses, thought leaders, culture mavens, and others.

There’s hardly agreement on the issue, though, which is why the FCC has struggled to make rules. For most retailers there are major benefits of net neutrality: It leaves e-commerce and content mostly unencumbered, and most would likely agree with the president’s protective stance.