Net neutrality is the principle that internet service providers (ISPs) should treat all internet traffic the same way. Under net neutrality rules, an ISP may not intentionally block, slow down, or charge different rates for specific websites, apps, or types of online content.
In the United States the issue turns on whether ISPs are classified as Title II common carriers, which the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) can regulate closely, or as Title I information services. In 2025 the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the FCC lacks authority to classify ISPs under Title II, so net neutrality is no longer required at the federal level. States such as California have their own net neutrality laws.
Source: Wikipedia: Net neutrality in the United States
Image: Protect Net Neutrality rally, San Francisco, by Credo Action, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.