New York Attorney General to Sue FCC Over Net Neutrality Repeal
Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Politics News Net Neutrality
Mere minutes after the Federal Communications Commission voted to repeal net neutrality, a set of rules governing internet service providers that required them to treat different websites equally and fairly, the New York Attorney General was on the case.
The Hill reports Schneiderman plans to sue the FCC over their vote to take away a fundamental aspect of free speech in the United States of America. In a statement, Schneiderman said “The FCC just gave Big Telecom an early Christmas present, by giving internet service providers yet another way to put corporate profits over consumers.”
The FCC, and particularly Chairman Ajit Pai, has been roundly criticized for its refusal to delay its vote on net neutrality. Net neutrality ensures that internet service providers have to provide the internet to their consumers without breaking it up into pieces (like charging different plans for different “areas” of the internet) or refusing to load specific webpages as quickly as others. In a recent study, it was found that 83 percent of Americans support net neutrality, including 3 out of 4 Republicans. Republicans like Pai have been the main drivers of the push to repeal net neutrality, but some members of the GOP changed their tune after learning their constituents didn’t agree.
Schneiderman isn’t the only person in power getting ready to fight the repeal. California State Senator Scott Wiener put out this video on Twitter promising legislation to ensure net neutrality in his home state:
FCC just repealed net neutrality. When CA Legislature reconvenes in January, I‘ll introduce a bill to adopt net neutrality as a requirement in CA. If FCC won’t protect free/open internet, we will. #NetNeutrality is key to protecting our democracy, esp in this authoritarian age. pic.twitter.com/tQPqoaqJVW
— Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener) December 14, 2017
Schneiderman went on in his statement:
Today’s new rule would enable ISPs to charge consumers more to access sites like Facebook and Twitter and give them the leverage to degrade high quality of video streaming until and unless somebody pays them more money. Even worse, today’s vote would enable ISPs to favor certain viewpoints over others.
Congress can ensure net neutrality stays in place, but only if American citizens make it clear that they want it. Make sure your representatives know what you think of net neutrality and the FCC’s attempt to kill it.