Got a net neutrality complaint? Here's what to do

The Federal Communications Commission's new net neutrality rules are however almost a week old, and the fighting over them has just begun. Republicans vow they'll kill the FCC'smove in Congress, calling it a blow to personal liberty and small government.

Meanwhile the reform outfit Free Press has dubbed the Commission's Order "Not Neutrality" and a "textbook example of industry capture of a federal agency." The group is particularly disappointed that the rules exempt wireless broadband from its unreasonable discrimination ban, and is lining up supporters for a new battle to get stronger regulations.

The beginning

And this is just the beginning. Even earlier full rules were published on Friday, there was a semi-major brouhaha over what the FCC Order meant when it mentioned the Android open operating system in its discussion about mobile broadband.

In the meanwhile, we're guessing that the adventurous will maneuver through the online section via the following path—from "Internet Service and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)" to "Billing, Service, Availability," and from there to the formatted online form. Or complainers will access the Commission's Quality of Service complaint form and just print it and fill it out by hand.

Once completed, parties can submit this sort of protest with supplementary documents by e-mail to fccinfo@fcc.gov, by fax to 418-0232, or by postal mail to: Federal Communications Commission, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, Consumer Complaints, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20554.

The complaint

Defendants must deliver their answer within 20 days of receiving the complaint. Replies must be filed within 10 days of receiving the broadband provider's response.

Complainants should keep in mind that they bear the burden of proving some kind of violation the agency's rules, the FCC says. Now the broadband provider "must answer each claim with particularity and furnish facts, supported by documentation or affidavit, demonstrating the reasonableness of the challenged practice. At that point, the complainant will have the possibility to demonstrate that the practice is not reasonable. Should experience reveal the need to adjust the burden of proof in open Internet disputes, we will do so as the case may be."

"Furthermore, in order to facilitate prompt decision-making, when possible we will resolve open Internet formal complaints at the bureau level, in other words than the Commission level," the Order adds. "Commission level" means a five-commissioner vote on the complaint, which would be a very public way of resolving the problem—probably the last way that the FCC wants to get these complaints resolved.

Finally, the FCC reserves the right to lodge a complaint spontaneously dime. "Should the Commission find that a broadband Internet provider is engaging in activity that violates the open Internet rules, we will take appropriate enforcement action, including the issuance of forfeitures," the enforcement section of the Order warns.