The FCC faced its first real challenge in the realm of net neutrality this week, when several consumer groups called upon the federal regulation organization to “stop Comcast from interfering with Internet traffic on its network,” according to last Saturday’s Washington Post.
The groups, including Free Press, Public Knowledge and Media Access Project, filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission to take action against the cable giant. Comcast has been criticized for interrupting Internet access to subscribers who are using popular programs like BitTorrent to download and exchange songs, movies and software programs.

The petition, filed Thursday, will serve as the first test of the FCC's position on the issue of net neutrality, which has become a hot-button topic among technologists and policymakers in Washington. Net neutrality refers to measures that would bar Internet providers like Comcast and phone companies from giving preferential treatment to content on their networks.

The five-member FCC has said it supports the concept, but has not been pressed to enforce it. The agency has also said Internet providers have the right to manage their networks.
This is an interesting development because the FCC has no requirement whatsoever to maintain any kind of net neutrality balance. Net neutrality is an issue being debated by the Cognress, and has not yet passed into law; therefore, the FCC is not bound by it in any way.

Still, many observers feel that it would be in the FCC’s best interest to treat the issue as though it were in the best public interest.

The agency itself, however, just may disagree with that sentiment.
The FCC is not required to act on the petition, but the agency's response could affect the ongoing legislative debate over net neutrality.

If it chooses not to enforce its principals, "it will signal to Congress that action is needed," said Art Brodsky, communications director for Public Knowledge.
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