New rules approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Thursday will result in the Internet being treated like a utility under federal law and allow local governments to develop public high-speed online service.

The FCC provision receiving the most media attention was that establishing “net neutrality,” which will forbid Internet service providers from creating faster service for corporations, such as Netflix and Google, that can afford it while everyone else is left with slower speeds.

The FCC is implementing its net neutrality plan by “reclassifying high-speed Internet service as a telecommunications service, instead of an information service, under Title II of the Telecommunications Act,” according to The New York Times…