FCC Computer Inquiry I concludes data processing services should be unregulated

The Federal Communications Commission issues its final decision in the First Computer Inquiry, concluding that computer data processing services should remain unregulated, as there are no natural or economic barriers to entry in the market. The FCC distinguishes between "pure communications" (regulated common carriers) and "pure data processing" (unregulated). This foundational decision sets the stage for light-touch internet regulation and establishes the regulatory separation between telecommunications and data services that will persist for decades.