After the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to overturn net neutrality rules implemented by the agency in 2015, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) responded with a strong rebuke of the decision.
NAR President Elizabeth Mendenhall said in a press release that the change could affect the way real estate transactions will be conducted in the future.
“The Internet as we know it today is a fair and open platform that puts everyone on a level playing field,” Mendenhall said. “FCC’s rollback of the Open Internet Order will mean higher costs and slower service for millions of American consumers and businesses. Realtors have strong concerns about what that might mean for the way consumers search for homes online and real estate is transacted.”
The rules implemented in 2015 were designed to prevent internet service providers from blocking, throttling or discriminating against Internet traffic. When the FCC announced it would consider rescinding the rules, NAR provided formal comments in July, saying a rollback of net neutrality rules could raise costs on business owners, such as real estate professionals, who make heavy use of technology and online platforms.
“In particular, NAR noted that paid-prioritization models and other anti-competitive practices could put small businesses at a significant disadvantage,” the press release stated. “For example, NAR said, larger companies could pay for Internet fast lanes that deliver content to consumers faster on some websites than from others.”
NAR said consumers would suffer from downgraded services across the Internet in such a scenario, while small businesses that couldn’t pay the new fee or negotiate such an arrangement for themselves would face a significant competitive disadvantage. With a majority of Realtors operating small businesses with typically no more than two principals, NAR said it would fight for the restoration of net neutrality rules.
“The last thing small businesses need today is additional costs and competitive disadvantages that put them on the defensive,” said Mendenhall, CEO of RE/MAX Boone Realty in Columbia, Mo. “This isn’t just an issue for Silicon Valley or large telecommunications shops. This is a main street concern that affects businesses and consumers across the country. We intend to make our voice heard on this important issue.”
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