--- title: FCC Chairman Wants to Diverge From Obama's Net Neutrality Plan description: The Federal Communications Commission says it wants to go in a different direction to Obama over net neutrality regulations. canonical: https://time.com/3580455/fcc-chairman-obama-net-neutrality-conflict/ author: Helen Regan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-11-12T09:44:48.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:02:42.779Z article:section: Politics og:title: FCC Faces Off With Obama Over Net Neutrality og:description: Trouble is brewing over how we get online og:url: https://time.com/3580455/fcc-chairman-obama-net-neutrality-conflict/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6c9a9ce342d309ba/698768505f570f8b04b13836/obama-internet-potent_wong.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4000 og:image:height: 2250 og:image:alt: Barack Obama, Tom Wheeler og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: FCC Faces Off With Obama Over Net Neutrality twitter:description: Trouble is brewing over how we get online twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6c9a9ce342d309ba/698768505f570f8b04b13836/obama-internet-potent_wong.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # FCC Chair Signals He Won't Follow Obama's Lead on Internet Rules > Sponsored content. 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Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ## Video: #The Brief: Net Neutrality is a battle for the internet [Watch (HLS stream): #The Brief: Net Neutrality is a battle for the internet](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/JlXNTEu9.m3u8) (1:51)  _Published 2014-11-11. #The Brief: Net Neutrality is a battle for the internet_ by [Helen Regan](https://time.com/author/helen-regan/) ## Helen Regan Nov 12, 2014 9:44 AM UTC  In this May 1, 2013 file photo, President Barack Obama shakes hands with then nominee for Federal Communications Commission, Tom Wheeler, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. In this May 1, 2013 file photo, President Barack Obama shakes hands with then nominee for Federal Communications Commission, Tom Wheeler, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington.Jacquelyn Martin—AP by [Helen Regan](https://time.com/author/helen-regan/) ## Helen Regan Nov 12, 2014 9:44 AM UTC A top federal regulator is [considering a split](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/11/11/the-fcc-weighs-breaking-with-obama-over-the-future-of-the-internet/) with President Barack Obama over [a controversial Internet policy](http://time.com/102268/net-neutrality-facts/), according to a new report, in what could set up a big fight between the White House and the Federal Communications Commission. The Washington _Post_, citing unnamed sources who were present, sounded a different note than Obama when addressing a room full of tech executives after the President made his statement Monday. “What you want is what everyone wants: an open Internet that doesn’t affect your business,” FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler told executives from several major tech companies, including Google and Yahoo. “What I’ve got to figure out is how to split the baby.” Obama on Monday made his strongest statement yet in support of Net Neutrality, the principle that all content should be treated equally online. However, the FCC is an independent agency that’s not required to follow the President’s lead on policy matters. 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