The American Federal Communications Commission (Federal Communications Commission - FCC) voted today to abolish the so-called Internet neutrality rules introduced during the time of President Barack Obama, which guaranteed equal access to the Internet.
The decision was voted by three to two votes, where the Republican members of the Commission voted for and the Democrats voted against.
The new FCC rules could introduce major changes in the way Americans use the Internet, according to the AP agency.
The regulatory body repealed regulations introduced in 2015 that barred companies such as Comcast, AT&T and Verizon from picking their favorites among Internet apps and sites.
It was decided to abolish the rules that prohibited internet service providers from sorting users into different categories.
Commission members who favored repealing the rules said they were burdensome and stifled innovation, while the move, announced for weeks, has drawn the ire of people who say it would allow internet service providers to control how users use the internet by be able to slow down or stop the services.
The broadband industry has promised that there will be no change in internet usage. But protests have erupted online and in the streets as Americans fear that cable and phone companies will be able to control what they see and do over the Internet.
Net neutrality supporters have vowed to challenge the decision in court.
Commission President Ajit Pye, a Republican, said that this decision simply restores the light framework that regulated the Internet for most of its existence and added that "the sky is not falling, users remain protected and the Internet will continue to develop."
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