It’s been 10 months since President Joe Biden made a commitment to resurrect net neutrality—the simple idea that the internet should be treated as a utility, and internet service providers should have to treat all data they send fairly—by naming Federal Communication Commission (FCC) member and open internet proponent Jessica Rosenworcel as the acting FCC chair. Unfortunately that’s as far as he went, leaving another commission chair vacant and leaving the FCC deadlocked with two Democratic appointees and two Republicans. That situation was getting a little worrisome as Rosenworcel’s temporary appointment expires at the end of the year, and we could have ended up with a Republican-led FCC by default. Biden finally took care of his part of the job last week by nominating Rosenworcel as permanent chair. He even went one better, nominating long-time consumer advocate Gigi Sohn to the vacant seat on the commission. Sohn has been a net neutrality hero for years, having served as then-FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler’s counselor, a role in which she definitely influenced Wheeler’s eventual decision in 2015 to implement the Open Internet Order, which set more clear net neutrality rules. The former guy’s guy at the FCC, Ajit Pai, made quick work of overturning that order. Rosenworcel “has worked to promote greater opportunity, accessibility, and affordability in our communications services in order to ensure that all Americans get a fair shot at 21st century success,” the White House said in announcing her nomination. “From fighting to protect an open internet, to ensuring broadband access for students caught in the Homework Gap through the FCC’s Emergency Connectivity Fund, to making sure that households struggling to afford internet service stay connected through the Emergency Broadband Benefit program, she has been a champion for connectivity for all.” Read more