What is Net Neutrality?
Simply put Net Neutrality is the principle that all content, websites, and platforms (e.g., mobile devices, video game consoles, etc.) are treated equally. With Net Neutrality, ISP’s provide ALL customers’ access to ALL content without favoring or blocking based on the ISP’s profit incentive. Our open internet has enabled innovation and freedom by giving a platform to anyone with a device and an internet connection. This is what we have and it does not need to be changed; you can freely go to the websites you want to visit, anyone can start websites, buy and sell products, watch videos, listen to music and all the other things you do on the internet without permission or extra cost from your ISP.
What would happen if we lost Net Neutrality?
The internet without Net Neutrality wouldn’t be the internet we know. Rather than the free exchange of information between equals it would be yet another way corporate interests control your life for their profit. Without Net Neutrality, the internet would become a place where ISPs control which websites, content or applications flourish based on their profit incentive; their income streams would be allocated more bandwidth and they would choke or throttle content that doesn’t add to their profit. In short the internet would be changed from a free space to one where our freedom is subdued to capitalist greed.
Examples of how this would work exist from past cases where violation of net neutrality principles occurred such as when ISP Comcast slowed (a.k.a. "throttled") uploads from peer-to-peer file sharing (P2P) applications by using forged packets.[1] Comcast didn't stop blocking these protocols like BitTorrent until the FCC ordered them to do so.[2] In 2004, The Madison River Communications company was fined $15,000 by the FCC for restricting their customer’s access to Vonage which was rivaling their own services.[3] AT&T was caught limiting access to FaceTime, so only users who paid for the new shared data plans could access the application.[4]
The FCC's proposed new rules don't regulate broadband rates or require providers to get their permission to offer new rate plans or services. If you want more information on this subject, John Oliver did a great episode in 2014 on net neutrality.
Didn't we already win strong Net Neutrality rules?
Yes. In 2015 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved net neutrality rules to preserve the open internet and ensure that it could not be divided into “pay-to-play” fast lanes for web and media companies that can pay for it and slow lanes for everyone else. The Obama administration reclassified telecommunications and cable internet services as common carriers. This current attack on Net Neutrality is another effort by the Trump Administration to erase the Obama legacy. FCC Chairman Pai wants to end the “utility-style regulatory approach” to the Internet and "reestablish" the power of market forces to regulate the Internet. He is also pushing for a reevaluation of whether to maintain, modify, or eliminate the Title II Order bright-line rules[5] that prevent ISPs from blocking, throttling, or prioritizing certain websites.[6]
The Democrats opposition was made clear in the DNC Chair Tom Perez's 18 May 2017 statement:
“No surprise that Donald Trump’s handpicked FCC appointee would cast the deciding vote to start rolling back net neutrality protections. These historic protections ensure that the Internet will remain free and open as it always has been – without heavy-handed restrictions that give cable and phone companies the right to discriminate against what content and information Americans can access.
Republicans don’t seem to care about a free and open internet and the only thing transparent about their position is their clear desire to hand over the keys to the big telecom companies who bankroll their election bids. This is yet another attack on our right to free speech and right to privacy, and one that could pave the way for broadband companies that continue under serving low-income communities.
Democrats oppose any attempt by the GOP and the FCC to destroy the net neutrality safeguards set into place by President Obama. Americans have a right to an open internet without their access stymied by gatekeepers.”
Why is Net Neutrality important for businesses and organizing?
Without a free and open internet we, the people, will not be able to organize as easily as we can now. When activists are able to turn out thousands of people in the streets at a moment’s notice, it’s because ISPs aren’t allowed to block their messages or websites. Net Neutrality is extremely important for small business owners, startups and entrepreneurs, who rely on the open internet to launch their businesses, create markets, advertise their products and services, and reach customers. We need the open internet to foster job growth, competition, innovation and to protect our rights.
A statement from Rep. Don Beyer (D), representing Virginia's 8th congressional district: “Without strong net neutrality protections, internet service providers could create an internet ecosystem that is no longer truly open, and put startups and small businesses at a significant disadvantage,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “Net neutrality protections are also crucial for communities of color and disadvantaged groups. An open internet provides a platform that allows these historically discriminated against groups to bypass the traditional media gatekeepers to tell their own story. As the FCC moves to strip open internet protections, Virginians must make their voices heard by commenting directly to the FCC.”
What can you do now? How to make your voice heard.
Tell the former lawyer for Verizon, now FCC chairman, AJit Pai and the other commissioners, we want Net Neutrality.
You can call, email, fax, write or tweet the FCC.
Call business hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm, ET or fax at anytime.
Phone: 1-888-225-5322
TTY: 1-888-835-5322
Fax: 1-866-418-0232
Here's a sample call script:
"My name is [Your name] and I'm calling to urge Chairman Pai/Commissioner O’Rielly to defend Title II net neutrality and protect the internet as a common carrier.
Will the commissioner stand with the majority of Americans and preserve real net neutrality?
Thank you very much for your time.”
Write a letter or email
Address: Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20554
Email and Tweet the FCC:
Name
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Position
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Email address
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Twitter
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Ajit Pai
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Chairman
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Ajit.Pai@fcc.gov
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@AjitPaiFCC
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Mignon Clyburn
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Commissioner
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Mignon.Clyburn@fcc.gov
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@MClyburnFCC
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Michael O'Rielly
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Commissioner
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Mike.O'Rielly@fcc.gov
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@mikeofcc
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Call contact the FCC.
Ciao For Now,
Fobbsie
