More Than Half of Voters Oppose FCC Regulation of the Internet

Over half of voters continue to oppose federal regulation of the Internet and also feel Internet users are best protected by the free market, not the government, according to a new Rasmussen Reports poll.

The telephone survey found 18 percent of likely U.S. voters believe the Federal Communications Commission should regulate the Internet like it does radio and television.

Slightly more than half -- 51 percent -- are opposed to FCC supervision over the Internet. Thirty-one percent are undecided.

Fifty-one percent also believe more free-market competition is the best way to protect those who use the Internet. Twenty-six percent disagree and believe more government regulation is the best protection. Twenty-three percent said they are not sure.

Last week, the FCC announced the net neutrality plan, which would give the FCC regulatory control over how much Internet providers can charge for their services. Although the FCC is looking for public comment about its place, only 15 percent believe government regulators are more likely to listen to individual citizens rather than interest groups.

Nearly two-thirds of voters -- 74 percent -- think the regulators care more about what special interest groups think.

The survey of 1,000 likely voters was conducted April 25-26 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95 percent level of confidence.