{"id":368923,"date":"2021-12-09T11:20:50","date_gmt":"2021-12-09T16:20:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/can-i-sue-my-internet-provider.html"},"modified":"2025-06-16T07:14:00","modified_gmt":"2025-06-16T12:14:00","slug":"can-i-sue-my-internet-provider","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/can-i-sue-my-internet-provider.html","title":{"rendered":"Can I Sue My Internet Provider?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Can I Sue My Internet Provider?<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Steven Ellison, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Joseph Fawbush, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Yes, you can sue your internet service provider. However, almost all ISP subscriber agreements require you to file any lawsuit in small claims court. <\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

If your dispute is over more than the amount that your local small claims court handles, you have to resolve it outside of the courts using a process called arbitration. In either case, your damages are limited by the terms of your broadband service agreement.<\/p>\n

Although you may be able to handle a small claims case by yourself, you may want to consult a\u00a0consumer protection lawyer<\/a>\u00a0if your claim is substantial or you need to go to arbitration.<\/p>\n

But sometimes it’s not all about the money. If those options don’t satisfy you, you can file an informal complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). If you aren’t pleased with the outcome, you can then file a formal complaint with the FCC. That process has specific procedural rules, so if you choose to go this route, you would want to consult an experienced\u00a0communications lawyer<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Net Neutrality in the United States<\/h2>\n

The internet has come a long way. Not too many years ago, the best folks could hope for from internet companies was dial-up using the phone lines and a modem. Now we have high-speed broadband services with blazing internet speeds and Wi-Fi. We also have wireless access on our smartphones.<\/p>\n

As the internet has grown, so has government involvement. The FCC (and to some extent, the Federal Trade Commission) regulates the internet. One of the major issues the FCC faces today is\u00a0net neutrality<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In general, net neutrality is the principle that ISPs treat all internet traffic the same. With net neutrality, ISPs cannot engage in \u201cthrottling” (slowing down of traffic), blocking certain sites, or charging separately for online content. If there is no net neutrality, however, ISPs can prioritize certain types of traffic. For example, Netflix, YouTube, or other big companies could cost more to access, and ISPs could charge consumers for differing service levels. Generally speaking, consumers would want net neutrality; most ISPs don’t.<\/p>\n

The federal government has debated net neutrality, mostly in a partisan manner. Under the Obama Administration, the FCC issued a rule requiring it. The Trump Administration repealed that rule.\u00a0The Biden Administration advocated for net neutrality, and the FCC voted to treat broadband internet as a public utility. But in early 2025, an appellate court ended the FCC’s rules<\/a> for net neutrality as the second Trump Administration prepared to enter the White House.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Some states, including California, Colorado, Maine, Washington, and Oregon, have stepped in with their own net neutrality rules. Most states have not, leaving regulation largely to market forces. That may change over time.<\/p>\n

Disputes With Your ISP<\/h2>\n

As a practical matter, net neutrality doesn’t help you if your internet service goes out or your ISP overcharges you.<\/p>\n

For example, you may be watching the Super Bowl, and right before the final play of a close game, your picture freezes. Your Wi-Fi seems to be working fine, and you are sure you paid your exorbitant monthly service bill, so you call your ISP. You hear a recorded message saying that they are aware of an outage and will update you by text or email when service is restored. Thank goodness for mobile hotspots.<\/p>\n

Episodes like this can be frustrating, but losing your internet can be an even bigger problem for people who work from home or for small businesses. According to the Census Bureau of the United States Department of Commerce, the estimate of U.S. e-commerce sales for the first quarter of 2026 totaled over $326 billion<\/a>. A temporary service outage during a major sales period, such as Black Friday, can be devastating for some salespeople.<\/p>\n

What Are Your Options?<\/h2>\n

Your options are limited.\u00a0When you signed up for internet service with an ISP, you entered into an agreement with them. That agreement defines your rights and responsibilities. Your ISP wrote your subscriber agreement, not you, so you won’t be surprised to learn that they are often\u00a0very one-sided and favorable to the ISP.<\/p>\n

Before you decide what to do, however, you need to think about whether it’s even worth the fight. These are hard cases to win. Most, if not\u00a0all, ISP agreements contain liability limits,\u00a0many to the cost of a month’s bill,\u00a0and more or less\u00a0excuse any bad service issues that may arise on their end whatsoever.<\/p>\n

You should make sure you understand your service agreement before you act. Consider bringing a\u00a0consumer protection attorney<\/a>\u00a0in if you have questions.<\/p>\n

Can I Sue for Internet Outages?<\/h3>\n

Maybe, but there are many limitations on your ability to sue for outages. Normally, when a service provider can’t fulfill its end of the deal, the customer can seek a refund<\/a> or legal claim of some kind. But internet outages are simply an unavoidable reality of the industry. So, most internet service contracts specify what you can expect when they happen. You are generally bound to the contract terms.<\/p>\n

Internet outages can have many causes, such as:<\/p>\n