As December 14 – the day that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will vote on repealing net neutrality guidelines – draws ever nearer, it’s worth noting that not all of the agency’s members are in favor of eroding the principles that keep the internet open in the US.
Jessica Rosenworcel and Mignon Clyburn, who are two of the five commissioners at the FCC and have been serving there for years now, have come out in support of preserving net neutrality.
Rosenworcel published an article on Slate this week, urging citizens to contact the FCC and voice their opinion, and has been calling on the agency to hold public hearings before going ahead with decisions on things like repealing consumer protections.
This is the @FCC plan to roll back #NetNeutrality: https://t.co/05owAva2hu.
Don't boo. Read it. Then roar.
It's time to make a ruckus. It's time to #SaveNetNeutrality.
— Jessica Rosenworcel (@JRosenworcel) November 22, 2017
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Clyburn, who’s been with the FCC since 2009, is also keen on keeping the internet free of fast and slow lanes nationwide. She posted a two-page fact sheet that unpacks chairman Ajit Pai’s proposal to undo net neutrality yesterday, which you can read over on the FCC’s site (PDF).
.@FCC Majority’s “Pre-Holiday News Dump” would dismantle #netneutrality. This most unwelcome #ThanksgivingFail is simply a giveaway to the nation’s largest communications companies at the expense of #consumers & #innovation. My statement: https://t.co/EY9eNmP9jx
— Mignon Clyburn (@MClyburnFCC) November 21, 2017
That leaves three FCC commissioners – Pai included – who must be convinced to rethink the upcoming proposal that will dash net neutrality across the US. Or rather, just one needs to be convinced, so as to win the vote 3-2, in order to preserve the guidelines as they are.
So what can you do to help? The agency has stopped collecting comments from the public on this issue, but you can write or call Congress to apply pressure on the FCC to rethink its plans.
Additionally, you can attend demonstrations at Verizon retail stores across the country to show your support on December 7. The telecom giant was chosen as a target because Pai was a former lawyer for the company. This page displays a map of planned protests, and also includes information on how you can host one near you.
Time is of the essence, folks.
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