This. Is. It. (Net Neutrality)
Kaytee Riek, SumOfUs
Yesterday the Chair of the FCC outlined his proposal on Net Neutrality and the future of the internet -- and it looks very good.
After years of debate, millions of public comments, and demonstrations across the country the moment we’ve been waiting for is here. This historic proposal includes Title II, the strongest version of Net Neutrality, that protects us from the “Internet slow lanes” Big Cable wants to create so they can charge us more money.
Now telecom giants like Verizon and Comcast, along with the conservatives in Congress, are making a last desperate effort to stop it by pushing fake Net Neutrality legislation. In order to stop a Big Cable-controlled Internet, we need to speak up now.
Though this bill is disguised as Net Neutrality legislation, it would actually just protect the phone and cable broadband duopoly from any oversight. It would legalize the creation of Internet “slow lanes” for anyone not able or willing to pay Comcast millions for fast access (effectively allowing Comcast to decide which websites we can see, and which we can’t). And it’s the opposite of what the public, and tens of thousands of SumOfUs members, have already demanded -- an Internet that stays open and free.
We need to expose this proposed legislation for what it is: A cynical cable-lobby effort to prevent the FCC from keeping the Internet open and nondiscriminatory.
Let's kill this bill before it starts -- please click here to call Congress now.A
fter months of campaigning by SumOfUs and our allies, President Obama and Google are now backing the strongest Net Neutrality protections under so-called “Title II” provisions.
Yesterday, the Chair of the FCC, Tom Wheeler himself finally proposed real Title II Net Neutrality rules reclassifying broadband internet as a public utility. Months ago, this was almost unthinkable -- but together, we got there.
That being said, we'll need to stay vigilant in case we need to push the FCC further this month: We're still waiting to see the finer details of this proposal, which will be voted on February 26th.
Up against Big Cable’s millions of dollars, this is a historic victory for citizen campaigning. Thanks to everyone, 2015 looks like it will be the year we win Net Neutrality. And with all of us standing together, we will.
Thanks for all you do,
Kaytee, Nick and the Team at SumOfUs
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More information:
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler: This Is How We Will Ensure Net Neutrality, Wired, February 4th, 2015
Media Shouldn't Be Fooled By Fake Neutrality Bill Backed By Broadband Industry, Media Matters, January 22, 2015
