Despite protest from millions online and some in congress, on Dec. 14, the FCC, or Federal Communications Commision, an independent agency of the US government created to regulate radio, television, satellite, wire and cable, decided to repeal Net Neutrality, the principle that internet providers must treat all data on the internet the same and discriminate or charge differently based on the user, content, website, platform, or application. When the FCC voted to eliminate 2015’s Open Internet Order, they essentially agreed to remove themselves as the regulators of the broadband industry and remove rules that had prevented blocking certain internet content. Now, the FTC, or Federal Trade Commission, will take on this role.

The vote was 3 to 2, with Chairman Ajit Pai and Republican commissioners Brendan Caar and Michael O’Rielly voting in favor of the order and Democratic commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Jessica Rosenworcel voting against it.

“I dissent from this fiercely spun, legally lightweight, consumer-harming, corporate-enabling Destroying Internet Freedom Order,” said Commissioner Clyburn. “There is a basic fallacy underlying the majority’s actions and rhetoric today: the assumption of what is best for broadband providers is best for America. What saddens me is that the agency that is supposed to protect you is abandoning you. But what I am pleased to be able to say is the fight to save net neutrality does not end today. This agency does not have the final word. Thank goodness.”

“You can still post photos of cute animals like puppies,” Pai said. “You can still binge-watch your favorite shows. You can still stay part of your favorite fan kingdom. You can still drive memes right into the ground. And everything else you ever did on the internet.”

This decision reflects the view of the Trump administration that unregulated business will yield innovation and help the economy.

It will take several weeks for the effects of the vote to be set into place so the American consumers will not see any direct changes immediately. However, the political and legal fight has already begun. Many democrats within congress are fighting to implement the rules of net neutrality again, and the American people are far from giving up the fight to keep their internet rights.