The United States Federal Communications Commission has extended the deadline for the public to comment on the proposed net neutrality laws to Sept. 15.
The extended deadline gives U.S. citizens additional time to say what they think about the new regulations, which focus on Internet traffic.
The new net neutrality laws determine how much control Internet service providers will have in managing Web traffic that goes through their networks.
Over one million comments have been sent to the FCC regarding the proposed laws, showing the importance of such an issue to U.S. citizens.
The first deadline that FCC had set for initial comments on the net neutrality laws was July 15, with a Sept. 10 deadline for the replies to the initial comments.
However, with a massive surge in the comments sent in for the proposed rulings, the FCC's website was overwhelmed, forcing the agency to extend the July 15 deadline by three working days to July 18.
The agency is subsequently extending the second deadline by three working days.
"To ensure that members of the public have as much time as was initially anticipated to reply to initial comments in these proceedings, the Bureau today is extending the reply comment deadline by three business days," said the FCC.
The core of the new net neutrality laws involve pay-for-priority business models for Internet service companies. Many of the comments received by the FCC are against such a Web "fast track" that would see increased speeds for the content and Internet providers that are able to pay more money than their competitors.
In addition to the opposition of the pay-for-priority business models, many comments have also clamored for the FCC to classify Internet service providers as utility companies and not information services, which would put them under more stringent rules and supervision.
In June, U.S. mayors led by San Francisco mayor Ed Lee showed their support for net neutrality laws, calling on the White House and the U.S. Congress to urge the FCC to prevent Internet service providers from receiving preferential treatment according to how much they are paying.
The supporting resolution was presented by a group that include Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild to the U.S. Conference of Mayors, which was subsequently unanimously passed.
The resolution also looks to have Internet service providers reclassified, but as telecommunications companies instead, which would grant the FCC the authority to regulate the companies.
