Silicon Valley is beginning to fight the Trump administration’s network neutrality plan

The Internet Association -- a lobbying group representing Facebook, Google, Twitter and other web giants -- told the Federal Communications Commission that the Commission shouldn’t weaken network neutrality rules — an early warning shot at the ideas contemplated by the agency’s new Republican chairman, Ajit Pai.

Under Pai’s draft plan, which he has not yet presented publicly, internet providers like AT&T, Comcast, Charter and Verizon could soon escape tough regulation: They would only have to promise in writing that they won’t block web pages or slow down their competitors’ traffic, sources have said. Such a voluntary system is a stark departure from the strict rules imposed by the Obama administration, however, and it prompted the Internet Association to tell Chairman Pai privately that it has its doubts. “The internet industry is uniform in its belief that net neutrality preserves the consumer experience, competition and innovation online,” the group said. “In other words, existing net neutrality rules should be enforced and kept intact.” The group added that net neutrality should continue to be “enforced by the expert agency, namely the FCC.”