Despite overwhelming opposition from Congress, the American people, advocacy organizations, and tech experts. the FCC has voted to eliminate the Open Internet Order and the net neutrality protections it established.
The order passed today and it removes the FCC as a regulator of the broadband industry and relegates rules that prevented blocking and throttling content to an honor system.
the vote was 3 to 2 along party lines, with Chairman Ajit Pai and Republican Commissioners Brendan Carr and Michael O’Rielly voting in favor of the order, and Democratic Commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Jessica Rosenworcel voting against.
“I dissent from this rash decision to roll back net neutrality rules,” said Commissioner Rosenworcel. “I dissent from the corrupt process that has brought us to this point. And I dissent from the contempt this agency has shown our citizens in pursuing this path today. This decision puts the Federal Communications Commission on the wrong side of history, the wrong side of the law, and the wrong side of the American public.”
“I dissent from this fiercely spun, legally lightweight, consumer-harming, corporate-enabling Destroying Internet Freedom Order,” said Commissioner Clyburn. “There is a basic fallacy underlying the majority’s actions and rhetoric today: the assumption of what is best for broadband providers is best for America. What saddens me is that the agency that is supposed to protect you is abandoning you. But what I am pleased to be able to say is the fight to save net neutrality does not end today. This agency does not have the final word. Thank goodness.”
As with all FCC orders of this magnitude, its effects do not take place immediately. The rules must first be entered in the federal register, something that won’t happen until early next year.
In the meantime Net neutrality advocates are asking people to call their members of Congress this week to demand action.
WHO TO CALL
It’s best to call your own senators and representatives, since your voice as a constituent is most meaningful. You can look up phone numbers for your members of Congress by entering your zip code here.
Ask that they help re establish New Neutrality with any means possible, especially utilizing the Congressional Review Act; a law empowers Congress to review, by means of an expedited legislative process, new federal regulations issued by government agencies and, by passage of a joint resolution, to overrule a regulation.