Tech Companies Praise The President For Speaking Out In Favor Of Net Neutrality

President Barack Obama spoke in favor of net neutrality this week, pushing back against the idea of paid prioritization, which many call Internet “fast lanes.” Following the president’s comments, a number of technology companies joined cultural and privacy groups in praising the American leader.

The corporations and organizations penned a letter citing the president’s comments directly, and saying that in the wake of his remarks that they are “counting on [the president] to take action to ensure equality on the Internet.”

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler painted himself into a corner of sorts when he advocated for net neutrality rules that would allow for some edge providers — video companies, etc. — to pay ISPs for prioritized access to consumers. Those arrangements would be contingent to the test of “commercial reasonableness.”

The plan has few fans. It isn’t clear what Wheeler intends, or even if he has the votes on his commission to pass his plan. Discontent extends from the White House to Congress to Silicon Valley.