[bestbits] PK: "FCC Chairman Pai Moves to Strip Americans of Net Neutrality Protections"

[Gus Rossi]

Contact: *Shiva Stella* <shiva at publicknowledge.org>  (o) 202-861-0020
<(202)%20861-0020>    (c) 405-249-9435 <(405)%20249-9435>
------------------------------

For Immediate Release
November 22, 2017

*FCC Chairman Pai Moves to Strip Americans of Net Neutrality Protections*
Today, the Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai circulated
<https://publicknowlede.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1cc299b535534e10c267b2c8e&id=46da5461ba&e=f0c13dd6b4>
a
“Restoring Internet Freedom” draft Order that would roll back the agency’s 2015
Open Internet Order
<https://publicknowlede.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1cc299b535534e10c267b2c8e&id=cfa9c4298c&e=f0c13dd6b4>,
which created strong net neutrality rules
<https://publicknowlede.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1cc299b535534e10c267b2c8e&id=be0e9021ed&e=f0c13dd6b4>
that
force broadband providers to treat all internet content and services
equally.

The agency’s new proposal downgrades broadband from a “telecommunications
service” under Title II of the Communications Act, to a mere “information
service.” If adopted at the FCC meeting on December 14, the draft Order
will eliminate the existing network neutrality rules (“no blocking, no
throttling, and no “fast lanes”) that currently protect the Open Internet.
Millions of Americans expressed support for these rules
<https://publicknowlede.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1cc299b535534e10c267b2c8e&id=da5ec3db44&e=f0c13dd6b4>
 by submitting comments
<https://publicknowlede.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1cc299b535534e10c267b2c8e&id=98c04b88b6&e=f0c13dd6b4>
with
the FCC leading up to the 2015 Open Internet Order, and millions of
Americans have opposed FCC Chairman Pai’s proposal to roll back these rules
since he announced it last spring.

Public Knowledge opposes FCC Chairman Pai’s move to gut these rules,
leaving consumers
<https://publicknowlede.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1cc299b535534e10c267b2c8e&id=e5f3d2231a&e=f0c13dd6b4>
, small businesses
<https://publicknowlede.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1cc299b535534e10c267b2c8e&id=b7a5c7b6af&e=f0c13dd6b4>
, artists
<https://publicknowlede.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1cc299b535534e10c267b2c8e&id=4fc7a943cf&e=f0c13dd6b4>
, students
<https://publicknowlede.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1cc299b535534e10c267b2c8e&id=3992a30704&e=f0c13dd6b4>
, hospital patients
<https://publicknowlede.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1cc299b535534e10c267b2c8e&id=bf9278634d&e=f0c13dd6b4>
, low-income families
<https://publicknowlede.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1cc299b535534e10c267b2c8e&id=1b248b2fcb&e=f0c13dd6b4>
, startups
<https://publicknowlede.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1cc299b535534e10c267b2c8e&id=6312ba4eab&e=f0c13dd6b4>
 and entrepreneurs
<https://publicknowlede.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1cc299b535534e10c267b2c8e&id=2a5d362d6d&e=f0c13dd6b4>nprotected
and at the mercy of broadband providers.

The following can be attributed to Harold Feld, Senior Vice President at
Public Knowledge:

“For almost 20 years, both Republican and Democratic FCC Chairmen have
pledged to protect the right of broadband subscribers to access any lawful
content or application, and to prevent the cable and telephone companies
that provide the ‘on ramps’ to the internet from picking winners and
losers. Today, for the first time, Chairman Pai proposes to leave internet
subscribers completely unprotected by the FCC. Chairman Pai’s radical
‘Carriers First, Consumers Last’ approach puts broadband subscribers at the
mercy of local cable companies whose ‘innovations’ have more to do with
gouging consumers and crushing competition than with providing new
services.”

For more information on net neutrality, view this explainer
<https://publicknowlede.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1cc299b535534e10c267b2c8e&id=500bab9f11&e=f0c13dd6b4>
from
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, our issue page
<https://publicknowlede.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1cc299b535534e10c267b2c8e&id=a979aba2a8&e=f0c13dd6b4>
 or net neutrality timeline
<https://publicknowlede.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1cc299b535534e10c267b2c8e&id=f8468c92bb&e=f0c13dd6b4>
highlighting
key moments of this debate. You may also view this full release
<https://publicknowlede.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1cc299b535534e10c267b2c8e&id=35d8d8f523&e=f0c13dd6b4>
.
###

*Public Knowledge* is a Washington D.C.- based public interest group
working to defend consumer rights in the emerging digital culture. More
information is available at http://www.publicknowledge.org
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----

# # #
# • #
# # #
*Gus Rossi*
Global Policy Director
(202) 861-0020 (x123) | (202) 651 1337 (mobile) | @agustinrs
<https://twitter.com/@agustinrs>
*Public Knowledge* | @publicknowledge <https://twitter.com/publicknowledge>
 | www.publicknowledge.org
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