WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court upheld on Tuesday the government’s dismantling of rules that regulate companies that connect consumers to the internet, but said that the Federal Communications Commission had overstepped by broadly blocking state and local governments from writing their own rules.
The mixed ruling, by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, gave both supporters and opponents of so-called net neutrality rules a chance to declare victory, and ensures that debate about the issue will continue. The rules prohibited broadband internet providers from blocking websites or charging for higher-quality service or certain content.
But over all, the decision Tuesday was a victory for the Trump administration, which has encouraged deregulation across the government. The F.C.C. chairman, Ajit Pai, who was appointed by President Trump, made the repeal of the rules a top priority. The vote to throw out the rules, made in a 3-2 party-line vote in 2017, reversed the agency’s 2015 decision, during the Obama administration.
