This week, the House of Representatives approved legislation from Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) that would make it harder for cities to build publicly-owned broadband networks.
The proposal is a shot at Federal Communications Commission chairman Tom Wheeler, who wants to remove state-level restrictions on municipal networks; Blackburn’s legislation would forbid the FCC from removing those restrictions.
This is the latest escalation of a long-running war between municipal broadband supporters and incumbent broadband companies that have relentlessly opposed municipal broadband proposals…
We’re making history! We’ve made net neutrality the biggest thing the FCC has ever had to deal with. Please reblog and tell your friends. Click here to read more.
We just crashed the FCC comments website with messages of support for Net Neutrality. Now the site’s back up — and we want enough voices raised to crash it again.
There’s just hours left to submit an official comment to the FCC and Congress. After you submit, share this with everyone you know!
The 28 House members who lobbied the Federal Communications Commission to drop net neutrality this week have received more than twice the amount in campaign contributions from the broadband sector than the average for all House members.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A surge in mobile Internet usage has U.S. regulators considering whether to apply the same rules to fixed and wireless Internet traffic, and large technology firms are siding with consumer advocates to call for such a change. …
John Oliver’s pro-net neutrality rant crashes FCC comments system
“The cable companies have figured out if you want to do something evil, put it inside something boring,” he said. “This is the moment you were made for, commenters. We need you to channel your anger.”
Netroots organizations representing more than 10 million activists urge the Senate Majority Leader to publicly support the reclassification of broadband.
Washington D.C. (June 4, 2014) – Today, more than a dozen progressive netroots organizations collectively representing over 10 million progressive activists across the country (including more than 100,000 Nevadans) sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) urging him to stand up for Net Neutrality by publicly supporting the reclassification of broadband Internet under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934.
The letter was signed by: Demand Progress, CREDO, MoveOn, Daily Kos, Color of Change, Democracy for America, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, CourageCampaign.org, Democrats.com, Free Press Action Fund, Other98, Presente.org, Progressive Democrats of America, Progressives United, RootsAction.org, SumOfUs, Ultraviolet, and 18MR.
The letter comes in the face of Senator Reid’s silence, as more than 50 of his colleagues in the U.S. House and Senate have spoken out against the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) recently proposed rule, which would divide the Internet into fast and slow lanes.
The signing organizations represent a broad swath of the activist base that provides the political muscle Senator Reid relies on to advance progressive causes and candidates. But without strong Net Neutrality rules, their ability to educate, organize and mobilize their members online will likely be greatly undermined.
The letter follows indications by the FCC that it will seek to implement a new rule that would allow for ISPs to create slow lanes and fast lanes online, making it harder for users to access certain online content, and easier to access content that the ISPs prefer – particularly content that the ISPs own, or whose owners have paid fees to the ISPs.
Below are respective statements from some of the organizations that signed the letter:
David Segal, Executive Director, Demand Progress: “Leaders like Senator Reid rely on netroots activists to support the progressive legislative agenda. But we need to know that we can count on Majority Leader Reid to be there for us. It’s time for Senator Reid to defend the Internet community and the economic innovation it delivers to the people of Nevada and the rest of the United States.“
Becky Bond, Political Director, CREDO: “We’re standing shoulder to shoulder with Senator Reid in his fight against the Koch brothers’ assault on our democracy. And we need him standing with us in the fight to stop the corporate takeover of the Internet. On the substance and the politics of the issue, it should be a no-brainer for Senator Reid to stand up for Net Neutrality.”
Anna Galland, Executive Director, MoveOn.org Civic Action: "Senator Reid can be a champion for Internet freedom by supporting the solution–treating the Internet as the public utility that it is. This is the only way to protect the Internet as an equal playing field for millions of users and stop the corporate takeover of the Internet.”
Rachel Colyer, Campaign Director for Daily Kos: “Legal scholars and court precedent have shown that Title II reclassification is the only way to fully protect an open Internet where innovators, independent media, and democracy flourish. Without Net Neutrality rules, the very existence of independent media organizations like Daily Kos are at risk. In a pay-for-loading speed world, we could easily be marginalized by news outlets with fewer readers, but with access to vast corporate wealth.”
“The Internet is the level playing field for those fighting for equality and a fair share–this proposal would only enhance the influence of the wealthy at the expense of everyone else. We urge Congress, the White House and the FCC to recognize and implement this legal strategy. “
Charles Chamberlain, Executive Director, Democracy for America: “Throughout this Congress, Senator Reid has been a consistent voice of support for progressive priorities – from protecting Social Security benefits to pushing for critical filibuster reform – that level the playing field for working families. With corporations like Comcast and Verizon determined to destroy Net Neutrality and the Internet as we know it, we hope that Senator Reid will speak out and join our fight to ensure that these corporations are not allowed to create fast lanes for the rich and powerful and slow lanes for the rest of us.”
Dr. Paul Song, Executive Chairman, Courage Campaign “We hope Senator Reid will show the courage he’s known for and stand up for a free and open Internet and against the corporate interests who would game it for their own benefit.”
Bob Fertik, President, Democrats.com: “As billionaires fill our airwaves with distortions and lies, it’s more important than ever that the Internet remain the uncorrupted bastion of genuinely free speech. In the wake of Citizens United, we simply cannot remain a Democracy without Net Neutrality.”
Craig Aaron, President, Free Press Action Fund: “Millions and millions of Americans are speaking out to save the Internet — and they need the Senate majority leader to speak out, too. We’re asking Senator Reid to send a strong message to the FCC. We want the open Internet to stay that way — and that means no blocking, no discrimination, and no fast lanes set aside for the fortunate few. The facts in this debate are clear: The only way to protect Internet users everywhere is for the FCC to restore its authority and reclassify broadband under the law. What’s missing is the political will in Washington to challenge AT&T, Comcast and Verizon. But if Senator Reid, President Obama and Chairman Wheeler stand up for the Internet, the Internet will stand up for them.”
John Sellers, Executive Director, Other98: “Americans are incredibly vocal that they want Internet Freedom, not corporate takeover of the Internet. They’re tired of the FCC being a tool for the giant companies who want to slow down the Internet and shut down online dissent. Big Telecom is not too Big to Fight.”
Arturo Carmona, Executive Director, Presente: “Latino communities will be disproportionately impacted by a two-tier Internet and Presente’s membership overwhelmingly opposes a two tier Internet. The question of net neutrality is at its core a civil rights issue. The Internet should not be regulated by corporate interest. We urge Senator Reid to join Congresswoman Pelosi and others who are standing up for all Americans by supporting net neutrality."
Andrea Miller, Co-Executive Director, Progressive Democrats of America: "The First Amendment guarantees that government will not act to favor expression by some over others. Today, that right is threatened. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is entertaining proposals to end Net Neutrality by letting Internet Service Providers (ISPs) auction off our fundamental free speech rights to the highest bidders. These changes must not be adopted, as they would end equal Internet access essential to fully, fairly participate in political and social discourse.”
Cole Leystra, Executive Director, Progressives United: “The Internet is how Americans keep in touch with their families, work, bank, teach their kids, and find entertainment. It cannot become a private club for only the rich.“
David Swanson, Campaign Coordinator, RootsAction.org: "If Senator Reid would like to know how people are feeling about officials who threaten Net Neutrality, I’m sure the FCC would be happy to forward him a hundred thousand or so of the angriest emails."
Shaunna Thomas, Co-founder, UltraViolet: “A free Internet is essential to our work fighting sexism and promoting women’s equality. The Internet is an important public utility that has become essential to all facets of our lives, including movement building for women’s equality— and the loss of a free and equal Internet would be detrimental. We urge Senator Reid, Congress, the FCC, and the White House to do all that they can to protect Net Neutrality and save the Internet.”
Christina Samala, Director, 18MR: “Discriminatory practices online is unacceptable. The FCC, this Congress, this current Administration needs to protect freedom and justice through Net Neutrality and they need to do it now.”
“Well, this audience was built not by [Internet providers], but by our efforts, by our creativity. And once we have that audience built, they want to charge us for it? […] They can’t unilaterally say, ‘All right, it’s our platform, we’re going to charge you for it.’ They didn’t build that audience.”
