(NECN/CNN) - U.S. officials have approved so-called "net neutrality" rules for the Internet. The new equal-access regulations are designed to maintain the status quo, by preventing internet service providers from blocking or interfering with online content they send to homes and businesses.
The White House praises the move, saying it will "help preserve the free and open nature of the Internet, while encouraging innovation, protecting consumer choice, and defending free speech." A deeply-divided federal communications commission voted three-to-two in approving the new rules.
The five commissioners argued over whether government should regulate the Internet. Congress is expected to weigh-in on the "net neutrality" rules in the coming year.
So we can probably expect intense debate -- both in and out of congress -- over these new internet rules.
And 2010 has also set the stage for other key developments next year when it comes to the web.
For one thing, Internet guru Caterina Fake believes social media will become even more essential to us in the New Year, as websites get more sophisticated and offer more personalized services.
2010 was the year of Apple's tablet triumph-and the rise of the Android, the growing debates over privacy on the Internet, and the limits of internet freedom itself was never far from the headlines in 2010
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Caterina Fake predicts big changes ahead for 2011. Fake is the co-founder of photo sharing site Flickr, and a new stite, Hunch. She explains how she sees the Internet shaping our lives over the next 12 months.
