For the first time since Trump’s FCC killed net neutrality, Congress will soon vote on a bill to bring it back and restore full protections for the open internet.
House Leader Nancy Pelosi said that the House of Representatives will consider net neutrality soon after representatives return from recess next week.1 But not all Democrats are on board – many take contributions from Big Telecom and need massive pressure to do the right thing.
We have a short time to tell our elected officials that net neutrality is a top priority. Sign the petition, and we will deliver your signature to Congress before the vote.
A free, open and affordable internet is critical for free speech, innovation and civic engagement. Losing the open internet is particularly harmful for communities of color, who rely on it to organize, create economic opportunity and fight back against oppression. Our fight for every progressive issue depends on the open internet. If companies like Comcast and AT&T; get to decide who can communicate, we all lose.
Net neutrality prohibits internet providers from blocking websites, throttling speeds or creating fast and slow lanes on the internet – a practice called paid prioritization.2 The Save the Internet Act would restore the 2015 net neutrality rules passed by Pres. Obama’s FCC. Introduced by Rep. Mike Doyle and Sen. Ed Markey, the bill also empowers the FCC to prohibit unjust, unreasonable and discriminatory practices online.3
But congressional Republicans – and even some Democrats – are calling for a “compromise,” meaning watered down legislation that would give Big Telecom giant loopholes.4 But we already know that weak net neutrality rules in the past have never worked.5
We fought too hard to win real net neutrality to give up on it now. We need every member of Congress to know that any compromise that weakens net neutrality is a non-starter.
References:
- Jon Reid, “House to Weigh Net Neutrality Bill After Break, Pelosi Says,” Bloomberg Law, March 14, 2019.
- House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce, “Bicameral Democratic Leaders Unveil Save The Internet Act To Restore Net Neutrality Protections,” March 6, 2019.
- Ibid.
- Karl Bode, “Some Democrats Are Ready to Water Down Their Own Net Neutrality Bill,” Motherboard, March 13, 2019.
- Dana Floberg, “Title II Is the Best Way to Protect the Internet. Period.” Free Press, Feb. 14, 2019