Activists Prepare to Stage Massive Push for Net Neutrality in Washington DC
Posted on September 19, 2017
A new piece from The Guardian reports that a coalition of internet freedom and digital rights activists have planned a massive two-day demonstration to compel the federal government to enshrine net neutrality principles in the regulation of the internet. The demonstration, led by Fight for the Future and the Electronic Frontier Foundation among many others, is set to begin with a mass attendance of net neutrality supporters at the FCC’s next scheduled meeting on September 26, followed by coordinated meetings between advocates and their congressional representatives the next day.
As CCDBR outlined in a previous primer on net neutrality, the FCC began accepting public comments in May in accordance with a vote to begin the process of repealing net neutrality rules instituted under the Obama administration in 2015, with the comment period officially closing in August. Although FCC rules stipulate that all proposed rule changes must be preceded by a 90-day public comment period before binding votes may be cast, the FCC under Chairman Ajit Pai signaled that it was intent on proceeding with the rule change irrespective of the volume of, or supporting arguments offered in, the submitted comments.
The demonstration planned next week should serve as a means of pressuring Pai and like-minded colleagues on their quick dismissal of the views of their constituents. Subsequently, Fight for the Future and allied organizations (as well as CCDBR in its prior guide on taking action in support of net neutrality) have additionally urged citizens to contact their congressional representatives in the hopes of catalyzing net neutrality legislation to cement protections on a firmer foundation, and to take precautions against what may still likely be an FCC vote to repeal the 2015 regulations. The largest pro-net neutrality action to date therefore comes at a time of particular urgency.
You can read The Guardian‘s full piece here.