The return of Obama-era net neutrality rules is temporarily halted through the beginning of next month, according to a court of appeals order released Friday. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit put a temporary stay until August 5 on the rules the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to restore in April.
The temporary halt put in place comes after multiple broadband providers filed a motion in favor of a stay on the FCC’s restored rules.
Net neutrality rules aim to bar broadband providers from blocking or throttling internet traffic to some websites and speed up access to others that pay extra fees.
The rules were put in place under former President Obama in 2015, but the Trump administration repealed them in 2017.
Supporters of net neutrality, like Democratic FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, say the rules help to ensure a fair and open internet. But critics such as Republican FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr argue the rules expand government control over the internet to solve a problem that has not been as pervasive as supporters of the rules warned.