Click image to view WGME/CBS 13 segment.

Assistant Professor of Digital and Computational Studies and Computer Science Mohammad Irfan was in demand December 14, 2017, in the wake of the decision by US telecom regulators to repeal so-called net neutrality rules.

Midday, Irfan was a guest on the Maine Public Radio call-in program Maine Calling, when he was joined by Michael Socolow, an associate professor in the University of Maine’s communication and journalism department.

That evening, Irfan popped up during coverage by local CBS affiliate WGME.

The regulations had restricted the ability of Internet service providers to block or slow down websites or apps, and prevented them from giving some websites priority over others.

The decision by the Federal Communications Commission enables those providers now to charge for higher quality service and certain content. According to The New York Times, the “federal government will also no longer regulate high-speed Internet delivery as if it were a utility, like phone services.”

Supporters of the decision say it helps the consumer by promoting competition, while opponents say it fails to adequately protect the nation’s broadband users.