The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama said in response to a petition that it continues to back an open Internet, but declined to direct the U.S. Federal Communications Commission on how to go about preserving InterNet neutrality, as it is an independent agency. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit struck down in January the FCC's Net neutrality rules, ruling that the agency does not have the authority to implement rules that would prohibit broadband providers from selectively blocking or slowing Web traffic.