Net neutrality, right to repair, broadband fees: How Biden's order will affect tech users

The Biden administration’s order encourages independent agencies like the Federal Trade Commission to write stricter rules.

- MARK HACHMAN

President Joe Biden issued a sweeping executive order on Friday, July 9, that encourages government agencies to begin enacting reforms across the tech spectrum, including reenacting net neutrality, enforcing broadband competition, enacting “right-to-repair” laws, and more.

According to a fact sheet (go.pcworld.com/fsht) released by the White House, several aspects of the order will directly affect consumers and how they use technology. Below, we’ve summarized the executive order and listed how its contents may affect consumers’ daily lives.

(The order appears on the Federal Register of Executive Orders [go.pcworld.com/ xord].)

It’s worth noting, however, that the order simply “directs” or “encourages” federal agencies to begin enacting rules, shying away from a direct order. Commissioners serving on the Federal Trade Commission, for example, are appointed by the president but must be confirmed and act independently. The executive order simply makes the wishes of the president more clear.

Here are how the provisions of the executive order could affect you:

NET NEUTRALITY AND LOWERING BROADBAND FEES

Biden’s executive order lists four big issues that cover broadband, but the headliner is net neutrality. Big ISPs can use their power to slow down online services, the order’s fact sheet notes. The net neutrality movement crested in 2015 when the FCC voted to reclassify broadband as a Title II public utility (go. pcworld.com/putl). The Trump administration, under FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, worked to reverse those rules.