AT&T CEO: State net neutrality and privacy laws are a “total disaster”

AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson urged Congress to pass network neutrality and consumer data privacy laws that would prevent states from issuing their own stricter laws. "There are a number of states that are now passing their own legislation around privacy and, by the way, net neutrality," Stephenson said. "What would be a total disaster for the technology and innovation you see happening in Silicon Valley and elsewhere is to pick our head up and have 50 different sets of rules for companies trying to operate in the United States." "There should be no blocking," ISPs "should not be allowed to throttle somebody else's content," and any device should be allowed to connect to the Internet without interference, he said. Stephenson apparently made no mention of banning paid prioritization, which was banned under the now-repealed Federal Communications Commission rules and by the California law that AT&T and other ISPs are fighting in court. Stephenson also apparently did not call for any limitations on zero-rating.