When the public weighs in on proposed regulation, does it matter?

Jan 22, 2018
The Department of Labor has a new rule it wants to get on the books that would change the way restaurants treat tips. It’s called the tip-pooling rule, and would let workers in the back of the house, like dishwashers and prep cooks, share the tips made by the servers in the front of the […]

Senate Democrats want to CTRL+Z FCC net neutrality repeal

Jan 11, 2018
Sen. Ed Markey says there is powerful momentum to restore the consumer protection.
From left, Democratic senators Bill Nelson, of Florida; Ed Markey, of Massachusetts; and Tammy Duckworth, of Illinois, speak on Capitol Hill yesterday about a Congressional Review Act resolution that would undo action by the FCC and restore net neutrality rules.
Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Net neutrality is gone, so now what for consumers?

Dec 14, 2017
The FCC vote lifts many restrictions on internet service providers.

What tech companies are saying about the repeal of net neutrality rules

Dec 14, 2017
In a 3-to-2 vote, the FCC ruled to roll back net neutrality policy established under the Obama administration.
A small group of protestors supporting net neutrality protest against a plan by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) head Ajit Pai, during a protest outside a Verizon store on December 7, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. 
Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

Ajit Pai's new internet

The FCC is expected to vote to eliminate net neutrality. We talked to the chairman about what the internet might look like if that happens.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai arrives for his confirmation hearing for a second term as chair of the commission on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

5 things you need to know about net neutrality

Nov 22, 2017
Ashley Esqueda of CNET runs Marketplace Weekend through the basics.
Net neutrality keeps the playing field level. For instance, Netflix can't pay to load faster than Hulu,
JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/Getty Images

Is it worth commenting on a federal rule?

Nov 22, 2017
The Federal Communications Commission is planning to repeal rules on net neutrality that say internet providers can’t choose to load some websites faster than others. But before the agency could make that announcement, it had to go through what’s called a comment period to release its proposal to the public and then give people a […]

For public good, not for profit.

You can write the government, but who's listening?

Nov 22, 2017
Bureaucrats are always looking for your comments on new rules. Here's how it works.
Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, Chairman Tom Wheeler, Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioner Michael O'Rielly watch as protesters are removed from the dais during a hearing at the Federal Communication Commission on Dec. 11, 2014. in Washington, D.C.
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images

Time to pay attention to net neutrality again

Nov 21, 2017
The Federal Communications Commission will not uphold Obama-era net neutrality rules. Today, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai asked the commission to adopt a more free-market approach to regulating the internet. Net neutrality is the idea that all data transmitted over the internet be treated equally and companies can’t slow down or charge different rates for different […]

FCC targets net neutrality

Nov 21, 2017
The next target of the Trump administration’s regulatory rollback appears to be net neutrality. The Obama-era rule that says all internet traffic has to be treated equally. The Federal Communications Commission is expected to release a new net neutrality rule this week reversing that decision. Here’s how net neutrality works. Think of the web as […]