From Free Press Action Fund:
The Trump administration, the Chairman of the FCC and greedy corporations have banded together to kill the Net Neutrality protections passed by the FCC in 2015. But they’re about to find out what happens when you mess with our internet.
On July 12, people, organizations and companies will be participating in a day of action to save Net Neutrality. Will you join us?
Sign up to participate in the day of action and we’ll give you more details about the things you can do: from changing your profile picture to posting a blog — we have options for everybody!
This is going to be the biggest day in the fight for internet freedom — you won’t want to miss it.
Internet service providers, like Comcast, Verizon and AT&T, are doing all they can to take away your right to an open internet — even while they admit that Title II Net Neutrality rules haven’t harmed online investment or innovation one bit. The truth is, they want to control what we do and say online, and charge us more for full speed internet access. July 12 is the day we fight back.
Join the internet-wide day of action to save Net Neutrality.
Thanks for all you do—
Lucia, Candace, Dutch and the rest of the Free Press team,
freepress.net
Showing posts with label fcc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fcc. Show all posts
Friday, July 7, 2017
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Tell Congress to protect your internet privacy
From Fight For The Future:
Hi, this is our last chance.
The House of Representatives will vote in a matter of hours on a resolution to gut broadband privacy rules that prevent Internet Service Providers like Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon from selling your personal information -- like browsing history and real-time location -- to advertisers without your consent.
Telecom lobbyists have been using their influence to convince lawmakers that this is a partisan issue, but that’s just not true. People from across the political spectrum can agree we don’t want the government or giant corporations monitoring everything we do on the Internet.
Many members of the House Freedom Caucus have taken strong previous stands for American’s right to privacy. They are the most likely to break party ranks on this and help defeat the measure. We need to blast them with tweets and phone calls RIGHT NOW.
Can you help? Click here to retweet our tweet to @FreedomCaucus to tell them to defend our privacy!
Not on Twitter? You can still take action. I’m pasting below the names and phone numbers of each individual member of the caucus. Contact them now!
Here’s a sample script of what you can say if you call:
“Hi, I’m calling to ask REP NAME to protect my Internet privacy and vote against the Congressional Review Act bill coming before the House today to gut the FCC’s broadband privacy rules. Please pass my message along to the Representative. Thank you.”
The vote is coming up in a matter of hours. It’s now or never.
For the Internet,
-Evan at Fight for the Future
Hi, this is our last chance.
The House of Representatives will vote in a matter of hours on a resolution to gut broadband privacy rules that prevent Internet Service Providers like Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon from selling your personal information -- like browsing history and real-time location -- to advertisers without your consent.
Telecom lobbyists have been using their influence to convince lawmakers that this is a partisan issue, but that’s just not true. People from across the political spectrum can agree we don’t want the government or giant corporations monitoring everything we do on the Internet.
Many members of the House Freedom Caucus have taken strong previous stands for American’s right to privacy. They are the most likely to break party ranks on this and help defeat the measure. We need to blast them with tweets and phone calls RIGHT NOW.
Can you help? Click here to retweet our tweet to @FreedomCaucus to tell them to defend our privacy!
Not on Twitter? You can still take action. I’m pasting below the names and phone numbers of each individual member of the caucus. Contact them now!
Here’s a sample script of what you can say if you call:
“Hi, I’m calling to ask REP NAME to protect my Internet privacy and vote against the Congressional Review Act bill coming before the House today to gut the FCC’s broadband privacy rules. Please pass my message along to the Representative. Thank you.”
The vote is coming up in a matter of hours. It’s now or never.
For the Internet,
-Evan at Fight for the Future
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Tell Ajit Pai to leave net neutrality alone
From Free Press:
Yesterday was the two-year anniversary of the FCC’s historic vote to pass real Net Neutrality rules.
But while more than 4 million people, organizations and businesses urged the FCC to pass the open internet rules, Net Neutrality is facing its biggest threat yet under the Trump administration.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai wants Net Neutrality gone. Since Pai became chairman a month ago, public interest groups, the New York Times and the Washington Post alike have lambasted him for making moves that will harm the people who have the least power.
Net Neutrality is NOT negotiable and we need Chairman Pai to hear this.
While Pai claims he supports a free and open internet, he’s been one of the most vitriolic opponents of the rules that were put in place to keep it that way. When the FCC passed its rules in 2015, Pai offered a lengthy dissent, arguing they were part of an elaborate Obama conspiracy to “regulate the internet.”
Talk about alternative facts.
In truth, the rules don’t regulate the internet; they keep broadband providers like AT&T, Comcast and Verizon from messing with what we do online. The FCC simply reclassified these companies under an existing law that preserves the rights we’ve always had to defend ourselves against communications carriers bent on interfering with our speech.
Tell Chairman Pai to back off and leave Net Neutrality alone.
We’ve been fighting for the open internet for over a decade and have no intentions of stopping now. Last week we delivered nearly 200,000 signatures in support of Net Neutrality to the FCC’s open meeting. And today we’re co-sponsoring a briefing with the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Voices for Internet Freedom Coalition to discuss the threats and opportunities that lie ahead.
Pai needs to know we aren’t going anywhere. Send him a message today.
Thanks for all that you do—
Candace, Dutch and the rest of the Free Press team
freepress.net
P.S. Don’t let Chairman Pai destroy Net Neutrality: Urge him to leave the open internet alone.
P.P.S. Fund the fight at Free Press: We're on CREDO Action's ballot this month and every vote we get = more money to support our work. Thank you!
Yesterday was the two-year anniversary of the FCC’s historic vote to pass real Net Neutrality rules.
But while more than 4 million people, organizations and businesses urged the FCC to pass the open internet rules, Net Neutrality is facing its biggest threat yet under the Trump administration.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai wants Net Neutrality gone. Since Pai became chairman a month ago, public interest groups, the New York Times and the Washington Post alike have lambasted him for making moves that will harm the people who have the least power.
Net Neutrality is NOT negotiable and we need Chairman Pai to hear this.
While Pai claims he supports a free and open internet, he’s been one of the most vitriolic opponents of the rules that were put in place to keep it that way. When the FCC passed its rules in 2015, Pai offered a lengthy dissent, arguing they were part of an elaborate Obama conspiracy to “regulate the internet.”
Talk about alternative facts.
In truth, the rules don’t regulate the internet; they keep broadband providers like AT&T, Comcast and Verizon from messing with what we do online. The FCC simply reclassified these companies under an existing law that preserves the rights we’ve always had to defend ourselves against communications carriers bent on interfering with our speech.
Tell Chairman Pai to back off and leave Net Neutrality alone.
We’ve been fighting for the open internet for over a decade and have no intentions of stopping now. Last week we delivered nearly 200,000 signatures in support of Net Neutrality to the FCC’s open meeting. And today we’re co-sponsoring a briefing with the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Voices for Internet Freedom Coalition to discuss the threats and opportunities that lie ahead.
Pai needs to know we aren’t going anywhere. Send him a message today.
Thanks for all that you do—
Candace, Dutch and the rest of the Free Press team
freepress.net
P.S. Don’t let Chairman Pai destroy Net Neutrality: Urge him to leave the open internet alone.
P.P.S. Fund the fight at Free Press: We're on CREDO Action's ballot this month and every vote we get = more money to support our work. Thank you!
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Net neutrality is not partisan so protect it right away
From Fight For The Future:
The Internet is awesome. It lets us access more information than ever before, find alternatives to mainstream news, keep in touch with our friends, find new music and videos, and more.
Why is it so awesome? Because unlike television and print, what you see and do online is up to *you*—not some corporation or bureaucrat.
But politicians and lobbyists from the cable companies keep trying to mess with that fundamental structure. They want to allow the government and corporate monopolies to slow down or censor certain websites in order to squeeze us for more money, or because they don’t like their politics.
One of the biggest problems is that politicians in Washington, DC have decided to turn the Internet into a political football. They’ve made net neutrality a partisan issue, which is silly because it’s not -- it’s a basic technological principle that has made the Internet what it is today. Now the former lobbyist for Big Cable who's been put in charge of internet regulation, Ajit Pai, says he’s planning to “take a weed whacker” to the basic principle upholding the open web.
We need to show Congress and the FCC that people from all across the political spectrum love the Internet and don’t want politicians to screw it up by getting rid of net neutrality. Sign the petition, and check one of the boxes to show decision makers that people want the Internet to stay awesome, regardless of their political ideology.
When you sign the petition, back it up by indicating where you fall on the political map, and share with everyone you know who feels the same!
The Internet is awesome. It lets us access more information than ever before, find alternatives to mainstream news, keep in touch with our friends, find new music and videos, and more.
Why is it so awesome? Because unlike television and print, what you see and do online is up to *you*—not some corporation or bureaucrat.
But politicians and lobbyists from the cable companies keep trying to mess with that fundamental structure. They want to allow the government and corporate monopolies to slow down or censor certain websites in order to squeeze us for more money, or because they don’t like their politics.
One of the biggest problems is that politicians in Washington, DC have decided to turn the Internet into a political football. They’ve made net neutrality a partisan issue, which is silly because it’s not -- it’s a basic technological principle that has made the Internet what it is today. Now the former lobbyist for Big Cable who's been put in charge of internet regulation, Ajit Pai, says he’s planning to “take a weed whacker” to the basic principle upholding the open web.
We need to show Congress and the FCC that people from all across the political spectrum love the Internet and don’t want politicians to screw it up by getting rid of net neutrality. Sign the petition, and check one of the boxes to show decision makers that people want the Internet to stay awesome, regardless of their political ideology.
When you sign the petition, back it up by indicating where you fall on the political map, and share with everyone you know who feels the same!
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Don't let them gut net neutrality
From Demand Progress:
"This Is the Year Donald Trump Kills Net Neutrality."1 That’s the disturbing headline from WIRED. And it’s not just speculation.
News just broke that Trump has picked longtime Republican FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai to become FCC commissioner.2
Pai has opposed strong net neutrality rules from the start and has already promised top telecommunications industry lobbyists that the GOP-led FCC will repeal net neutrality "as soon as possible."3
And net neutrality enemy Marsha Blackburn has been chosen to lead the powerful Communications and Technology subcommittee that could decide net neutrality’s fate in Congress.4
It’s time for us to step up and fight back to make clear that the grassroots won’t let Congress and Trump’s FCC gut net neutrality.
Sign the petition to Congress: Stand with a free and open internet and protect net neutrality!
Because of Demand Progress members’ activism, the FCC received more than 4 million comments in support of strong net neutrality rules that treat the Internet like a public utility, making it equally accessible to all.
Thanks to your action, we won. And we didn’t stop there.
Enabled by the FCC’s historic reclassification of the internet as a telecommunications service, we’ve won rules to protect net neutrality by banning internet slow-lanes, and to protect internet subscriber privacy.
But now, Trump and his Republican allies on the FCC have made it clear that they will side with big corporations and end a free and open internet for all.
Sign the petition to Congress: Stand with a free and open internet and protect net neutrality!
Congress can stop Trump from gutting the FCC. That’s why we’re already working to ready our net neutrality champions in Congress and Silicon Valley to speak out against the upcoming assault on net neutrality. But that’s not enough without your help.
We must mount a massive grassroots outcry to make sure Congress knows the American people want net neutrality to remain the law of the land. A huge public outcry has saved the net neutrality rules every time corporate lobbyists have attacked it, and we can’t stop now.
Sign the petition to Congress: Stand with a free and open internet and protect net neutrality!
Sources:
1. WIRED, “This Is the Year Donald Trump Kills Net Neutrality,” January 2, 2017.click here
2. ABC News, “Report: 'Net Neutrality' Foe Ajit Pai Is New FCC Head,” January 20, 2017.click here
3. Federal Communications Commission, “Letter to CEOs of Wireless Industry Leaders,” December 19, 2016.click here
4. Ars Technica, “Author of anti-net neutrality “Internet Freedom Act” gains leadership position,” January 6, 2017.click here
"This Is the Year Donald Trump Kills Net Neutrality."1 That’s the disturbing headline from WIRED. And it’s not just speculation.
News just broke that Trump has picked longtime Republican FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai to become FCC commissioner.2
Pai has opposed strong net neutrality rules from the start and has already promised top telecommunications industry lobbyists that the GOP-led FCC will repeal net neutrality "as soon as possible."3
And net neutrality enemy Marsha Blackburn has been chosen to lead the powerful Communications and Technology subcommittee that could decide net neutrality’s fate in Congress.4
It’s time for us to step up and fight back to make clear that the grassroots won’t let Congress and Trump’s FCC gut net neutrality.
Sign the petition to Congress: Stand with a free and open internet and protect net neutrality!
Because of Demand Progress members’ activism, the FCC received more than 4 million comments in support of strong net neutrality rules that treat the Internet like a public utility, making it equally accessible to all.
Thanks to your action, we won. And we didn’t stop there.
Enabled by the FCC’s historic reclassification of the internet as a telecommunications service, we’ve won rules to protect net neutrality by banning internet slow-lanes, and to protect internet subscriber privacy.
But now, Trump and his Republican allies on the FCC have made it clear that they will side with big corporations and end a free and open internet for all.
Sign the petition to Congress: Stand with a free and open internet and protect net neutrality!
Congress can stop Trump from gutting the FCC. That’s why we’re already working to ready our net neutrality champions in Congress and Silicon Valley to speak out against the upcoming assault on net neutrality. But that’s not enough without your help.
We must mount a massive grassroots outcry to make sure Congress knows the American people want net neutrality to remain the law of the land. A huge public outcry has saved the net neutrality rules every time corporate lobbyists have attacked it, and we can’t stop now.
Sign the petition to Congress: Stand with a free and open internet and protect net neutrality!
Sources:
1. WIRED, “This Is the Year Donald Trump Kills Net Neutrality,” January 2, 2017.click here
2. ABC News, “Report: 'Net Neutrality' Foe Ajit Pai Is New FCC Head,” January 20, 2017.click here
3. Federal Communications Commission, “Letter to CEOs of Wireless Industry Leaders,” December 19, 2016.click here
4. Ars Technica, “Author of anti-net neutrality “Internet Freedom Act” gains leadership position,” January 6, 2017.click here
Thursday, December 15, 2016
Trump adminstration may be hostile to Net Neutrality;individual privacy.
From Open Media:
The Internet is at a turning point: Under Donald Trump, Net Neutrality now ‘faces extinction’ at the FCC,1 and the NSA is poised for a dramatic expansion in spy powers.2 Either we stand up now for our digital rights, or we accept a world where everything we do online is monitored by governments and ISPs, free expression is quashed, and Internet access gets more expensive.
The United States has always been a trend-setter for Internet policy across the globe. If we stop fighting for our values then the door flies open for oppressive regimes the world over to follow our regressive lead.
Our nimble team is ready for this fight -- and we’ve received some seriously good news: a generous donor has just offered to double your donation every single month for a whole year if you sign up as a monthly donor right now.
This could make a huge difference in our fight against some of the most powerful and well-funded interests on the planet.
At OpenMedia, we’re experts in using cutting edge digital tools to force decision-makers to pay attention to citizen voices. But building and sharing these tools takes a lot of time and resources.
Our fight wouldn’t be possible without the strength of our grassroots donors: it’s their donations that enable us to run high impact campaigns to defend the Internet in the United States and around the world.
And if you donate today the Internet Society and TunnelBear have generously agreed to match the value of your donation. Please, give $10, $20 or whatever you can and double your impact protecting the open Internet!
Here’s what we’re up against in 2017:
A President and Congress intent on dismantling Net Neutrality consumer safeguards.1
Out-of-control government surveillance threatening to turn the Internet into something it was never intended to be: Big Brother.3
A president-elect who says he wants to “close down parts of the Internet” and who actually will have the power to make that happen.4
An AT&T-Time Warner mega-merger that will result in less competition and Internet price hikes for average Americans.5
If we are going to keep the Internet open, we’re going to have to fight to protect it. To succeed we need you to donate today so we can unlock essential matching funds. Please join for this time-sensitive opportunity.
The open Internet is under constant threat, but because of people like you we know we’ll be there to protect it.
With gratitude for all you do,
Alana,
on behalf of your OpenMedia team
P.S. The open Internet empowers everyday people in an unprecedented way--to create, share, communicate, learn, invent, challenge government, support a cause, and express ourselves. Big Media, Big Telecom, and governments all want to put you and the free Internet on a leash.Please donate now before our special matching funds program ends — for just this short time, we can double your impact.
[1] Net neutrality faces extinction under Trump. Source: CNBC
[2]FBI and NSA Poised to Gain New Surveillance Powers Under Trump. Source: Bloomberg News
[3] US: Case Challenges Mass Internet Surveillance. Source: Human Rights Watch
[4] The Law That Could Allow Trump To Shut Down The US Internet. Source: Forbes
[5] Open Internet groups open letter to Trump and Clinton to stop the merger. Source: Coalition Letter
The Internet is at a turning point: Under Donald Trump, Net Neutrality now ‘faces extinction’ at the FCC,1 and the NSA is poised for a dramatic expansion in spy powers.2 Either we stand up now for our digital rights, or we accept a world where everything we do online is monitored by governments and ISPs, free expression is quashed, and Internet access gets more expensive.
The United States has always been a trend-setter for Internet policy across the globe. If we stop fighting for our values then the door flies open for oppressive regimes the world over to follow our regressive lead.
Our nimble team is ready for this fight -- and we’ve received some seriously good news: a generous donor has just offered to double your donation every single month for a whole year if you sign up as a monthly donor right now.
This could make a huge difference in our fight against some of the most powerful and well-funded interests on the planet.
At OpenMedia, we’re experts in using cutting edge digital tools to force decision-makers to pay attention to citizen voices. But building and sharing these tools takes a lot of time and resources.
Our fight wouldn’t be possible without the strength of our grassroots donors: it’s their donations that enable us to run high impact campaigns to defend the Internet in the United States and around the world.
And if you donate today the Internet Society and TunnelBear have generously agreed to match the value of your donation. Please, give $10, $20 or whatever you can and double your impact protecting the open Internet!
Here’s what we’re up against in 2017:
A President and Congress intent on dismantling Net Neutrality consumer safeguards.1
Out-of-control government surveillance threatening to turn the Internet into something it was never intended to be: Big Brother.3
A president-elect who says he wants to “close down parts of the Internet” and who actually will have the power to make that happen.4
An AT&T-Time Warner mega-merger that will result in less competition and Internet price hikes for average Americans.5
If we are going to keep the Internet open, we’re going to have to fight to protect it. To succeed we need you to donate today so we can unlock essential matching funds. Please join for this time-sensitive opportunity.
The open Internet is under constant threat, but because of people like you we know we’ll be there to protect it.
With gratitude for all you do,
Alana,
on behalf of your OpenMedia team
P.S. The open Internet empowers everyday people in an unprecedented way--to create, share, communicate, learn, invent, challenge government, support a cause, and express ourselves. Big Media, Big Telecom, and governments all want to put you and the free Internet on a leash.Please donate now before our special matching funds program ends — for just this short time, we can double your impact.
[1] Net neutrality faces extinction under Trump. Source: CNBC
[2]FBI and NSA Poised to Gain New Surveillance Powers Under Trump. Source: Bloomberg News
[3] US: Case Challenges Mass Internet Surveillance. Source: Human Rights Watch
[4] The Law That Could Allow Trump To Shut Down The US Internet. Source: Forbes
[5] Open Internet groups open letter to Trump and Clinton to stop the merger. Source: Coalition Letter
Friday, November 25, 2016
Protect Net Neutrality
From Fight For The Future:
BREAKING: The Washington Post is reporting that the Trump transition team is preparing to “dismantle Net Neutrality.” Will you chip in to help save Net Neutrality?
No matter what you think about the election, one thing is clear: Net Neutrality is in the cross hairs.
Donald Trump has called Net Neutrality an "attack on the internet" and a "top down power grab," even though neither of those things is true.[1] Many members of Congress are already making plans to gut the rules we worked so hard to win.
And now Trump has has put Jeffrey Eisenach, an anti-Net Neutrality crusader funded by Verizon, AT&T, and Clear Channel, in charge of the FCC transition.
That's why The Washington Post is reporting that Trump is on the verge of "all but erasing” Net Neutrality.[2]
But this isn't the first time telecommunications lobbyists thought Net Neutrality was dead--and every time the public backlash has been enormous. Now we need to fight again.
Will you chip in to help save Net Neutrality?
The FCC's Net Neutrality rule is the only thing stopping Comcast, AT&T, and Time Warner from blocking, throttling, and censoring the Internet either for political reasons or for profit.
Trump will definitely have the power to go after Net Neutrality if he wants to. He'll soon pick a new FCC chairman and shortly after will get to replace the swing vote on Net Neutrality at the FCC.
That's why one top industry analyst this week said that under Trump, "Net neutrality has a big target on its back."[3] And Breitbart News, the alt-right news website run by Trump strategic advisor Steve Bannon said last week that "Net Neutrality is dead."[4]
But we heard the same predictions of doom for Net Neutrality when George W. Bush and Barack Obama were in office too. Every time, we used the collective power of the internet to defend freedom of expression and openness online. And we still haven’t been beaten.
When Barack Obama proposed bad policies on Net Neutrality, we stood up to him, and won. Now we'll do the same with with the new president. And all the evidence so far says that under President Trump, Net Neutrality is in deep, deep trouble.
But we've fought too long and too hard to win Net Neutrality to let it all get erased now. Will you chip in to help save it?
Yes, I'll chip in to help save Net Neutrality.
[1] Twitter
[2] The Washington Post
[3] The Denver Post
[4] Breitbart News
BREAKING: The Washington Post is reporting that the Trump transition team is preparing to “dismantle Net Neutrality.” Will you chip in to help save Net Neutrality?
No matter what you think about the election, one thing is clear: Net Neutrality is in the cross hairs.
Donald Trump has called Net Neutrality an "attack on the internet" and a "top down power grab," even though neither of those things is true.[1] Many members of Congress are already making plans to gut the rules we worked so hard to win.
And now Trump has has put Jeffrey Eisenach, an anti-Net Neutrality crusader funded by Verizon, AT&T, and Clear Channel, in charge of the FCC transition.
That's why The Washington Post is reporting that Trump is on the verge of "all but erasing” Net Neutrality.[2]
But this isn't the first time telecommunications lobbyists thought Net Neutrality was dead--and every time the public backlash has been enormous. Now we need to fight again.
Will you chip in to help save Net Neutrality?
The FCC's Net Neutrality rule is the only thing stopping Comcast, AT&T, and Time Warner from blocking, throttling, and censoring the Internet either for political reasons or for profit.
Trump will definitely have the power to go after Net Neutrality if he wants to. He'll soon pick a new FCC chairman and shortly after will get to replace the swing vote on Net Neutrality at the FCC.
That's why one top industry analyst this week said that under Trump, "Net neutrality has a big target on its back."[3] And Breitbart News, the alt-right news website run by Trump strategic advisor Steve Bannon said last week that "Net Neutrality is dead."[4]
But we heard the same predictions of doom for Net Neutrality when George W. Bush and Barack Obama were in office too. Every time, we used the collective power of the internet to defend freedom of expression and openness online. And we still haven’t been beaten.
When Barack Obama proposed bad policies on Net Neutrality, we stood up to him, and won. Now we'll do the same with with the new president. And all the evidence so far says that under President Trump, Net Neutrality is in deep, deep trouble.
But we've fought too long and too hard to win Net Neutrality to let it all get erased now. Will you chip in to help save it?
Yes, I'll chip in to help save Net Neutrality.
[1] Twitter
[2] The Washington Post
[3] The Denver Post
[4] Breitbart News
Friday, November 18, 2016
The Trump Administration wants to do away with Net Neutraliy
From Demand Progress:
"Trump Win Means FCC's 'Net Neutrality' Regulation is Dead."
That's the blaring headline from Breitbart News, the website run by Steve Bannon, Trump's campaign chairman and now his chief strategist in the White House.1
And it's not just Breitbart. The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal are warning that Net Neutrality is in deep trouble.2,3
We're going to have to fight with all we have to save Net Neutrality. Will you chip in $5?
Yes, I'll chip in $5 to save Net Neutrality.
Trump has falsely called Net Neutrality a "top down power grab" and an "attack on the internet."4 And the front-runner for his choice as FCC chairman is an anti-Net Neutrality zealot and paid Verizon consultant.5
We know that we can't count on Republican leaders in Congress to push back they've gotten millions from Comcast and their telecom buddies and would be thrilled to overturn Net Neutrality.6
To save Net Neutrality, we're going to need a grassroots mobilization as big as what it took to enact it in the first place.
The good news is that Trump can't just get rid of Net Neutrality on his own. He's going to have to go through a lengthy rule-making process, giving us months to mount opposition.
But we're counting on you to stand with us—and to make sure we have the resources to fight back and win.
Net Neutrality is facing a mortal threat from the Trump presidency. Will you chip in $5 to help save it?
Thanks for standing with us,
Kurt Walters and the Demand Progress Team
1.Source
2.Source
3.Source
4.Source
5.Source
6.Source
"Trump Win Means FCC's 'Net Neutrality' Regulation is Dead."
That's the blaring headline from Breitbart News, the website run by Steve Bannon, Trump's campaign chairman and now his chief strategist in the White House.1
And it's not just Breitbart. The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal are warning that Net Neutrality is in deep trouble.2,3
We're going to have to fight with all we have to save Net Neutrality. Will you chip in $5?
Yes, I'll chip in $5 to save Net Neutrality.
Trump has falsely called Net Neutrality a "top down power grab" and an "attack on the internet."4 And the front-runner for his choice as FCC chairman is an anti-Net Neutrality zealot and paid Verizon consultant.5
We know that we can't count on Republican leaders in Congress to push back they've gotten millions from Comcast and their telecom buddies and would be thrilled to overturn Net Neutrality.6
To save Net Neutrality, we're going to need a grassroots mobilization as big as what it took to enact it in the first place.
The good news is that Trump can't just get rid of Net Neutrality on his own. He's going to have to go through a lengthy rule-making process, giving us months to mount opposition.
But we're counting on you to stand with us—and to make sure we have the resources to fight back and win.
Net Neutrality is facing a mortal threat from the Trump presidency. Will you chip in $5 to help save it?
Thanks for standing with us,
Kurt Walters and the Demand Progress Team
1.Source
2.Source
3.Source
4.Source
5.Source
6.Source
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Comcast and their ilk threaten Net Neutrality
From Demand Progress:
The FCC's historic Open Internet rule made Net Neutrality the law of the land.
But an army of telecommunications industry lawyers just filed yet ANOTHER legal appeal aimed at overturning it.1
Now the court is demanding that our side respond to the appeal this month, and our coalition's legal defense fund is running low on money.
This is a serious threat, and if we don't respond to the court's demand for a brief, then Net Neutrality could be overturned completely. Will you chip in $5? Half your donation will go directly to the coalition legal defense fund, and we'll use the rest to keep mobilizing grassroots support.
Comcast and their allies have filed at least ten lawsuits against Net Neutrality, and it's clear it will fight all the way to the Supreme Court if it has to.2
This most recent appeal comes after a 3-judge panel at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld the rule. Now Comcast's allies want the full court to review the entire case again.
This is a classic example of how giant corporations use their money to override the will of the people. The FCC received more than 3.7 million comments in favor of Net Neutrality. Polls show that voters overwhelmingly support it.3
But by drowning the FCC in legal filings and lawsuits, Comcast and its buddies are wasting time and taxpayer money, delaying enforcement actions—and they just might get Net Neutrality overturned completely.
We know that Comcast and the other big telecommunications companies can spend virtually unlimited amounts of money on lawyers. And the only reason we even have a chance is because the facts are so clearly on our side.
But taking on corporate giants like this isn't cheap—and we're counting on your help. If you chip in today, we'll split your donation 50-50 between our coalition's legal defense fund and ongoing grassroots organizing by Demand Progress to defend Net Neutrality in the court of public opinion. Will you chip in $5?
1. Source
2. Source
3. Source
The FCC's historic Open Internet rule made Net Neutrality the law of the land.
But an army of telecommunications industry lawyers just filed yet ANOTHER legal appeal aimed at overturning it.1
Now the court is demanding that our side respond to the appeal this month, and our coalition's legal defense fund is running low on money.
This is a serious threat, and if we don't respond to the court's demand for a brief, then Net Neutrality could be overturned completely. Will you chip in $5? Half your donation will go directly to the coalition legal defense fund, and we'll use the rest to keep mobilizing grassroots support.
Comcast and their allies have filed at least ten lawsuits against Net Neutrality, and it's clear it will fight all the way to the Supreme Court if it has to.2
This most recent appeal comes after a 3-judge panel at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld the rule. Now Comcast's allies want the full court to review the entire case again.
This is a classic example of how giant corporations use their money to override the will of the people. The FCC received more than 3.7 million comments in favor of Net Neutrality. Polls show that voters overwhelmingly support it.3
But by drowning the FCC in legal filings and lawsuits, Comcast and its buddies are wasting time and taxpayer money, delaying enforcement actions—and they just might get Net Neutrality overturned completely.
We know that Comcast and the other big telecommunications companies can spend virtually unlimited amounts of money on lawyers. And the only reason we even have a chance is because the facts are so clearly on our side.
But taking on corporate giants like this isn't cheap—and we're counting on your help. If you chip in today, we'll split your donation 50-50 between our coalition's legal defense fund and ongoing grassroots organizing by Demand Progress to defend Net Neutrality in the court of public opinion. Will you chip in $5?
1. Source
2. Source
3. Source
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Don't let big cable sell your private information
From Free Press Action Fund:
This is a story of cynical Beltway politics at its worst.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has two strong proposals on the table: one would stop Comcast from selling your private information without your consent, and another would lower your cable-TV bill by ending the monopoly on that set-top box you're forced to rent each month.
Thousands of us have written in support of these common-sense, pro-consumer policies — but it isn't clear whether they'll move forward before the end of the Obama administration.
The cable industry's friends in Congress are threatening the survival of both of these measures. Instead of letting the agency do its job, they're pressuring Wheeler to resign right after the election and stalling the renomination of Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel.
Holding up a confirmation to force the agency's hand on unrelated topics is no way to govern.
Worse still: It might be working.1
Rosenworcel is reportedly reluctant to move quickly on these crucial measures. And they need her vote to pass.
We need the FCC to stand up to industry and reject Congress’ political games.
Tell the FCC to protect your privacy and lower your cable bill TODAY.
Anything worth doing at the FCC is going to take at least a 3–2 vote. Chairman Wheeler, Commissioner Mignon Clyburn and Commissioner Rosenworcel have a chance to go down in history as leaders of the FCC that did more for the public interest than any other. Their decisions over the next few months could cement that legacy — but only if all three of them hold strong.
We need them to work together — now.
1. Source
To sign petition
This is a story of cynical Beltway politics at its worst.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has two strong proposals on the table: one would stop Comcast from selling your private information without your consent, and another would lower your cable-TV bill by ending the monopoly on that set-top box you're forced to rent each month.
Thousands of us have written in support of these common-sense, pro-consumer policies — but it isn't clear whether they'll move forward before the end of the Obama administration.
The cable industry's friends in Congress are threatening the survival of both of these measures. Instead of letting the agency do its job, they're pressuring Wheeler to resign right after the election and stalling the renomination of Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel.
Holding up a confirmation to force the agency's hand on unrelated topics is no way to govern.
Worse still: It might be working.1
Rosenworcel is reportedly reluctant to move quickly on these crucial measures. And they need her vote to pass.
We need the FCC to stand up to industry and reject Congress’ political games.
Tell the FCC to protect your privacy and lower your cable bill TODAY.
Anything worth doing at the FCC is going to take at least a 3–2 vote. Chairman Wheeler, Commissioner Mignon Clyburn and Commissioner Rosenworcel have a chance to go down in history as leaders of the FCC that did more for the public interest than any other. Their decisions over the next few months could cement that legacy — but only if all three of them hold strong.
We need them to work together — now.
1. Source
To sign petition
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Big IPS's are going to fight court's ruling in favor of Net Neutrality
From Fight For The Future:
The top appeals court in the US just decided in favor of the net neutrality rules we fought so hard to win. Net neutrality is the law of the land and one of the cable industry’s best shots at overturning the rules has come up empty.
Net neutrality, or the open Internet, says that no company can slow down or block websites as a basic first amendment rule of the Internet. Now, the courts just decided that the strongest possible way to protect that rule—the worst-case scenario envisioned by Comcast—is completely and fully legal!
Being told this win was impossible is a sting we can still feel today. But after we worked together to submit a record breaking 4 million comments to the FCC, camped out at their headquarters, called for Title II when we had little political cover, and brought together thousands of companies to take action with us, we got the largest win against entrenched interests this decade.
But this isn’t over. Partisan and heavily-funded attacks have been piling up. Make a monthly donation so we can build the campaigns that reach millions more people and definitively undermine their plans.
Can’t donate right now?
Take action to make sure the FCC doesn't allow new ISP schemes that can undermine net neutrality.
Fight for the Future signed on as intervenors in the USTelecom vs FCC case, so it's especially nice to win this one. This watershed victory reminds us we can break down the status quo and win big if we stay tenacious. (Here's a little refresher on how we won.)
But—surprise!—this fight is not over.
There is still a giant loophole in the net neutrality rules that we need the FCC to fix. If we don’t, net neutrality could be undermined by “sponsored data” programs and the Internet could become less open than if we never won the rules in the first place.
Then there’s Congress. Earlier today, House Speaker Paul Ryan released his legislative blueprint that includes plans to weaken the FCC’s authority to enforce net neutrality.
And last but not least, the broadband industry has already said they are going to take this all the way to the Supreme Court.
Clearly, we need to keep fighting. But we need your help.
Take action to make sure the FCC doesn't create fast lanes by allowing “sponsored data” programs.
Or...
Donate today so we can keep this fight alive until net neutrality is secured for good.
Want to see how this fight was won—we made this timeline of the fight so you can do that!
Thanks for all you have done to make this net neutrality win possible so far!
More information:
1. Wired
2. New York Times
3. Arstechnica
4. Techdirt
The top appeals court in the US just decided in favor of the net neutrality rules we fought so hard to win. Net neutrality is the law of the land and one of the cable industry’s best shots at overturning the rules has come up empty.
Net neutrality, or the open Internet, says that no company can slow down or block websites as a basic first amendment rule of the Internet. Now, the courts just decided that the strongest possible way to protect that rule—the worst-case scenario envisioned by Comcast—is completely and fully legal!
Being told this win was impossible is a sting we can still feel today. But after we worked together to submit a record breaking 4 million comments to the FCC, camped out at their headquarters, called for Title II when we had little political cover, and brought together thousands of companies to take action with us, we got the largest win against entrenched interests this decade.
But this isn’t over. Partisan and heavily-funded attacks have been piling up. Make a monthly donation so we can build the campaigns that reach millions more people and definitively undermine their plans.
Can’t donate right now?
Take action to make sure the FCC doesn't allow new ISP schemes that can undermine net neutrality.
Fight for the Future signed on as intervenors in the USTelecom vs FCC case, so it's especially nice to win this one. This watershed victory reminds us we can break down the status quo and win big if we stay tenacious. (Here's a little refresher on how we won.)
But—surprise!—this fight is not over.
There is still a giant loophole in the net neutrality rules that we need the FCC to fix. If we don’t, net neutrality could be undermined by “sponsored data” programs and the Internet could become less open than if we never won the rules in the first place.
Then there’s Congress. Earlier today, House Speaker Paul Ryan released his legislative blueprint that includes plans to weaken the FCC’s authority to enforce net neutrality.
And last but not least, the broadband industry has already said they are going to take this all the way to the Supreme Court.
Clearly, we need to keep fighting. But we need your help.
Take action to make sure the FCC doesn't create fast lanes by allowing “sponsored data” programs.
Or...
Donate today so we can keep this fight alive until net neutrality is secured for good.
Want to see how this fight was won—we made this timeline of the fight so you can do that!
Thanks for all you have done to make this net neutrality win possible so far!
More information:
1. Wired
2. New York Times
3. Arstechnica
4. Techdirt
Net Neutrality wins in court
From Free Press:
Today a panel of judges ruled in favor of the FCC's Net Neutrality rules — agreeing with the overwhelming majority of Internet users that this agency can and must protect everyone's rights to connect and communicate.
This outcome proves what we've known all along: that the FCC chose the right legal path to defend our Internet freedom.
Winning this Net Neutrality case is a major victory for Internet users like you. Now it's time to take the fight for a universal, affordable and open Internet to the next level.
We need the FCC to enforce its rules. We will continue shining a light on ISP abuses, uncover any new Net Neutrality violations, and bring formal complaints to the agency about broadband providers' unreasonable schemes.
And just because we've won the right to do that doesn't mean our opponents will quit. Whether the fight moves to Congress or the Supreme Court we'll be there to defend the open Internet ... and with your help we'll win.
So we hope you'll join us in building on this victory. A great way to get started? Chip in $5 to support the next phase in the fight for Internet freedom.
Thanks for all that you do—
Craig, Candace, Matt and the rest of the Free Press team
Free Press
P.S. We wouldn't be here without your incredible support. Donate $5 (or more!) today to help us win tomorrow's battles. Thank you!
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Big Cable thinks it can break FCC rules by ignoring Net Neutrality
From The Daily Kos and Demand Progress:
Comcast, T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T are all acting like they’re above the law.
Each one of them is breaking the Net Neutrality rules the FCC passed last year, daring the FCC to challenge them.
This is the first major test of how the FCC will implement the Net Neutrality rules. We need to make sure the FCC knows we're watching and sets the precedent that violating Net Neutrality has real consequences.
Take action now to protect Net Neutrality. File a complaint with the FCC demanding they enforce the Net Neutrality rules they passed last year and rein in Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile.
Since we won at the FCC, and since we keep winning in Congress, Comcast and friends have a new strategy: just break the rules.1,2
Here’s how it works:
When we won, the FCC never banned “zero rating”—the practice where Internet providers exempt some sites or services from their own monthly limits (“data caps”). Instead, the FCC said they’d look at zero rating “case by case.”
Meanwhile, data caps are still allowed. And ISPs can dramatically slow down your Internet after you hit the cap. See where this is going?
All ISPs have to do is keep our data caps low, and then exempt some sites from the cap. “Special” sites. The ones that pay them $$$.
In other words, every site that Comcast and AT&T don’t approve of gets thrown in a slow lane. We can’t let this happen. File a complaint to the FCC now!
If you can, please try to personalize your complaint and your Internet provider will have to respond to you and report back to the FCC.
Independent policy experts are telling us that the FCC is making up its mind on this now, and that they’re only hearing from… (guess who?) Comcast, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon.
Submitting takes just a few seconds, and the FCC needs to hear from as many of us as possible!
It’s so important that the FCC hear from all of us Internet users! This takes less than a minute. GO FOR IT!
Thanks for speaking out.
Comcast, T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T are all acting like they’re above the law.
Each one of them is breaking the Net Neutrality rules the FCC passed last year, daring the FCC to challenge them.
This is the first major test of how the FCC will implement the Net Neutrality rules. We need to make sure the FCC knows we're watching and sets the precedent that violating Net Neutrality has real consequences.
Take action now to protect Net Neutrality. File a complaint with the FCC demanding they enforce the Net Neutrality rules they passed last year and rein in Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile.
Since we won at the FCC, and since we keep winning in Congress, Comcast and friends have a new strategy: just break the rules.1,2
Here’s how it works:
When we won, the FCC never banned “zero rating”—the practice where Internet providers exempt some sites or services from their own monthly limits (“data caps”). Instead, the FCC said they’d look at zero rating “case by case.”
Meanwhile, data caps are still allowed. And ISPs can dramatically slow down your Internet after you hit the cap. See where this is going?
All ISPs have to do is keep our data caps low, and then exempt some sites from the cap. “Special” sites. The ones that pay them $$$.
In other words, every site that Comcast and AT&T don’t approve of gets thrown in a slow lane. We can’t let this happen. File a complaint to the FCC now!
If you can, please try to personalize your complaint and your Internet provider will have to respond to you and report back to the FCC.
Independent policy experts are telling us that the FCC is making up its mind on this now, and that they’re only hearing from… (guess who?) Comcast, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon.
Submitting takes just a few seconds, and the FCC needs to hear from as many of us as possible!
It’s so important that the FCC hear from all of us Internet users! This takes less than a minute. GO FOR IT!
Thanks for speaking out.
Friday, May 6, 2016
ISP's use "zero rating" get around Net Neutrality
From Fight For The Future:
The “zero-rating” threat to Net Neutrality and the Open Internet is still very real. I’m writing today because there’s one thing we need everyone to do: file a complaint to the FCC, and demand that they do not make a decision on zero-rating behind closed doors.
First, a recap: Comcast, T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon have a new way to get around the Open Internet rules we fought for, called zero rating.[1] They're imposing data caps and fees on their customers, and then exempting certain apps and websites (e.g. the ones that they own, or that pay them big $$$) giving those sites a huge unfair advantage––and manipulating what we see and do online.
For example, in Massachusetts, Comcast is now limiting how many shows you can watch on Netflix, but exempting its own crummy Netflix clone, "XFinity Stream TV". And they’re rolling this out nationwide. [2]
Their plan was to sneak this zero-rating scam through the FCC. But we've been working to stop it, and we need your help.
Don't want to give Comcast the power to decide what sites you visit? Click here to file a complaint to the FCC!
Fight for the Future has been working behind the scenes to mobilize net neutrality allies, we've already collected 80,000 complaints, and we're planning a petition delivery outside the FCC.
When we deliver these comments to the FCC, we want to have 100,000 complaints against fast lanes ready to submit. 100,000 is the number that'll be a huge wake-up call to the FCC and the DC press.
Can you submit your complaint right now, to help us hit our goal of 100,000?
Even if you filed a complaint before, it's worth doing again, as we've made some improvements. Now, you can submit complaints against each company individually, which means the FCC can *legally require* that company to respond. This new approach means more pressure on the companies, and (in our view) more influence on the FCC's decision as well.
You don't have to be a customer of these companies to file complaints, but if you are, say so! And the more you can personalize the complaint, in your own words, the better.
File your complaint right now to defend the Open Internet.
What's at stake? Well, here's a breakdown.
1. Comcast is rolling out data caps that punish Netflix and Youtube viewers, while exempting its own jaw-droppingly terrible streaming TV service “Xfinity Stream TV” to force people to watch *that* instead. File a complaint against Comcast.
2. T-Mobile is throttling nearly every website that uses HD video, and forcing small sites to make an expensive technical arrangement with T-Mobile to get their videos working again. File a complaint against T-Mobile.
3. AT&T and Verizon are imposing data caps and charges, and then charging sites to escape them. If this takes off, small sites that can't pay will be put out of business, and big sites will start passing the costs on to you. File a complaint against AT&T and Verizon.
The worst part of all of this is, we’re hearing that the FCC could decide on this soon without consulting anyone except Comcast, AT&T, Verizon & T-Mobile themselves! That’s why we’ve included in each new complaint the demand that the FCC open up an open process, and we’ve added a way to call the FCC and demand this after you take action.
1.Source
2.Source
The “zero-rating” threat to Net Neutrality and the Open Internet is still very real. I’m writing today because there’s one thing we need everyone to do: file a complaint to the FCC, and demand that they do not make a decision on zero-rating behind closed doors.
First, a recap: Comcast, T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon have a new way to get around the Open Internet rules we fought for, called zero rating.[1] They're imposing data caps and fees on their customers, and then exempting certain apps and websites (e.g. the ones that they own, or that pay them big $$$) giving those sites a huge unfair advantage––and manipulating what we see and do online.
For example, in Massachusetts, Comcast is now limiting how many shows you can watch on Netflix, but exempting its own crummy Netflix clone, "XFinity Stream TV". And they’re rolling this out nationwide. [2]
Their plan was to sneak this zero-rating scam through the FCC. But we've been working to stop it, and we need your help.
Don't want to give Comcast the power to decide what sites you visit? Click here to file a complaint to the FCC!
Fight for the Future has been working behind the scenes to mobilize net neutrality allies, we've already collected 80,000 complaints, and we're planning a petition delivery outside the FCC.
When we deliver these comments to the FCC, we want to have 100,000 complaints against fast lanes ready to submit. 100,000 is the number that'll be a huge wake-up call to the FCC and the DC press.
Can you submit your complaint right now, to help us hit our goal of 100,000?
Even if you filed a complaint before, it's worth doing again, as we've made some improvements. Now, you can submit complaints against each company individually, which means the FCC can *legally require* that company to respond. This new approach means more pressure on the companies, and (in our view) more influence on the FCC's decision as well.
You don't have to be a customer of these companies to file complaints, but if you are, say so! And the more you can personalize the complaint, in your own words, the better.
File your complaint right now to defend the Open Internet.
What's at stake? Well, here's a breakdown.
1. Comcast is rolling out data caps that punish Netflix and Youtube viewers, while exempting its own jaw-droppingly terrible streaming TV service “Xfinity Stream TV” to force people to watch *that* instead. File a complaint against Comcast.
2. T-Mobile is throttling nearly every website that uses HD video, and forcing small sites to make an expensive technical arrangement with T-Mobile to get their videos working again. File a complaint against T-Mobile.
3. AT&T and Verizon are imposing data caps and charges, and then charging sites to escape them. If this takes off, small sites that can't pay will be put out of business, and big sites will start passing the costs on to you. File a complaint against AT&T and Verizon.
The worst part of all of this is, we’re hearing that the FCC could decide on this soon without consulting anyone except Comcast, AT&T, Verizon & T-Mobile themselves! That’s why we’ve included in each new complaint the demand that the FCC open up an open process, and we’ve added a way to call the FCC and demand this after you take action.
1.Source
2.Source
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Comcast is fighting net neutrality
From Demand Progress:
Comcast, T-Mobile, and AT&T have a new scheme to defeat Net Neutrality and bring back the internet slow lane we thought we'd killed forever.
Here's their plan: First, they impose low data caps on customers and slap you with big fees if you go over.
Then, Comcast and the other big cable companies pick certain apps and websites (hint: the ones that pay them a lot of money) that are exempt from their data caps.
This is nothing but a backdoor scheme to bring back the Internet slow lane that Net Neutrality is designed to prevent.
It's up to the FCC to shut down this backdoor attempt to end Net Neutrality, but Comcast has an army of lobbyists working full time to block the FCC from taking action.
Will you become a Demand Progress donor to help stop this attack on Net Neutrality?
You may have already seen this idea marketed with names like "Binge On" by T-Mobile. The ads make it seem like it's some kind of special perk—but really, it's all about corporations regaining control over what you can see online.
It puts Comcast and its buddies in total control; Whether you binge on Netflix, love YouTube, or something else entirely, if your favorite app for streaming video can't afford to pay up or carry out whatever rules Comcast makes up, you're out of luck.
Demand Progress fought for years to make Net Neutrality the law of the land—and we did it by mobilizing our 2 million affiliated activists around actions like the Internet Slowdown.
Will you become a Demand Progress donor to help keep the movement for a free and open Internet alive?
Yes, I'll donate.
Thanks for standing with us.
Comcast, T-Mobile, and AT&T have a new scheme to defeat Net Neutrality and bring back the internet slow lane we thought we'd killed forever.
Here's their plan: First, they impose low data caps on customers and slap you with big fees if you go over.
Then, Comcast and the other big cable companies pick certain apps and websites (hint: the ones that pay them a lot of money) that are exempt from their data caps.
This is nothing but a backdoor scheme to bring back the Internet slow lane that Net Neutrality is designed to prevent.
It's up to the FCC to shut down this backdoor attempt to end Net Neutrality, but Comcast has an army of lobbyists working full time to block the FCC from taking action.
Will you become a Demand Progress donor to help stop this attack on Net Neutrality?
You may have already seen this idea marketed with names like "Binge On" by T-Mobile. The ads make it seem like it's some kind of special perk—but really, it's all about corporations regaining control over what you can see online.
It puts Comcast and its buddies in total control; Whether you binge on Netflix, love YouTube, or something else entirely, if your favorite app for streaming video can't afford to pay up or carry out whatever rules Comcast makes up, you're out of luck.
Demand Progress fought for years to make Net Neutrality the law of the land—and we did it by mobilizing our 2 million affiliated activists around actions like the Internet Slowdown.
Will you become a Demand Progress donor to help keep the movement for a free and open Internet alive?
Yes, I'll donate.
Thanks for standing with us.
Friday, April 15, 2016
Save Net Neutrality
From Demand Progress:
Trump and Cruz say they want to kill Net Neutrality. That's really scary – but if the Republicans in the House get their way, Net Neutrality rules will already be crippled well before the election.
Make a call today and tell your representative to stand up for the Internet by voting NO on the Republicans’ anti-Net Neutrality “rate regulation” bill.
Can't call? Donate to help us build the tools we’ll need to protect Net Neutrality once and for all!
This week, the House will vote on a bill that will make it harder for the FCC to enforce its Net Neutrality rules while making it easier for cable and phone companies to overcharge you.
It’s just the latest and most dangerous example of the push by Big Telecom’s allies in Congress to chip away at the Open Internet rules and prevent the FCC from protecting consumers.
While the effort is being led by Republicans, we need to make sure House Democrats don’t give this effort bipartisan cover by voting wrong way on this bill.
The reason this bill is even coming up for a vote would be funny if the consequences weren’t so serious.
As part of the Open Internet Order, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said he wasn’t going to use the power the FCC to regulate rates for broadband Internet. And a number of Democrats chimed in, agreeing that “rate regulation” would be a bad thing.
So Republicans are brazenly calling the bill, H.R. 2666, the “No Rate Regulation of Broadband Internet Access Act” to make it seem like an okay thing.
But the bill defines the term “rate regulations” so broadly that it would prohibit the FCC from stopping telecoms from gouging their customers and make it impossible for the FCC to enforce parts of the Open Internet rules.
It’s light-years beyond what Chairman Wheeler said he was against, but the Republicans are hoping that a combination of chutzpah and mendaciousness will convince some Democrats to vote the wrong way.
It’s up to us to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Click here to take action
Trump and Cruz say they want to kill Net Neutrality. That's really scary – but if the Republicans in the House get their way, Net Neutrality rules will already be crippled well before the election.
Make a call today and tell your representative to stand up for the Internet by voting NO on the Republicans’ anti-Net Neutrality “rate regulation” bill.
Can't call? Donate to help us build the tools we’ll need to protect Net Neutrality once and for all!
This week, the House will vote on a bill that will make it harder for the FCC to enforce its Net Neutrality rules while making it easier for cable and phone companies to overcharge you.
It’s just the latest and most dangerous example of the push by Big Telecom’s allies in Congress to chip away at the Open Internet rules and prevent the FCC from protecting consumers.
While the effort is being led by Republicans, we need to make sure House Democrats don’t give this effort bipartisan cover by voting wrong way on this bill.
The reason this bill is even coming up for a vote would be funny if the consequences weren’t so serious.
As part of the Open Internet Order, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said he wasn’t going to use the power the FCC to regulate rates for broadband Internet. And a number of Democrats chimed in, agreeing that “rate regulation” would be a bad thing.
So Republicans are brazenly calling the bill, H.R. 2666, the “No Rate Regulation of Broadband Internet Access Act” to make it seem like an okay thing.
But the bill defines the term “rate regulations” so broadly that it would prohibit the FCC from stopping telecoms from gouging their customers and make it impossible for the FCC to enforce parts of the Open Internet rules.
It’s light-years beyond what Chairman Wheeler said he was against, but the Republicans are hoping that a combination of chutzpah and mendaciousness will convince some Democrats to vote the wrong way.
It’s up to us to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Click here to take action
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Oppose the Charter-Time Warner merger
From CREDO:
The FCC is reportedly on the verge of approving the proposed $90 billion mega-merger between Charter Communications and Time Warner Cable,1 which would create a cable and Internet behemoth nearly as big as Comcast. Combined, the new company and Comcast would control two-thirds of the nation’s high speed Internet access.2
The next few days are a critical time to pressure the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to stop this bad deal for American consumers.
Can you help with a quick phone call? We’ll give you everything you need to deliver the message, and automatically connect you to the FCC commissioners who need to hear the voice of the American people.
Make a call to the FCC: Reject the Charter-Time Warner Cable merger. Call for a script and to be automatically connected to key FCC commissioners.
The proposed merger is a bad deal for consumers on a number of fronts:
It was designed to benefit the companies’ executives and Wall Street investors – not consumers. Big cable and Internet companies should be focused on improving customer service, and increasing broadband Internet speeds, not looking toward the next mega-merger that will make Wall Street happy.
If the merger is approved, Charter would take over the New York and Los Angeles broadband Internet markets, and would likely impose price increases on its customers in these diverse communities. This would exacerbate the digital divide by concentrating market power in communities where many people already struggle to afford broadband.
In a recent customer service survey, Charter ranked below hundreds of other companies – even Comcast.3 With even less competition and a captive customer base after a merger, Charter will have little incentive to actually improve customer service.
We need faster, more affordable Internet access – not further consolidation that would put more and more power into fewer hands. I hope you’ll join the broad coalition of progressive groups and activists fighting to stop the proposed merger between Charter Communications and Time Warner Cable by calling the FCC today.
Make a call to the FCC: Reject the Charter-Time Warner Cable merger. Call for a script and to be automatically connected to key FCC commissioners.
Thanks for everything you do.
1.Source
2.Source
3.Source
The FCC is reportedly on the verge of approving the proposed $90 billion mega-merger between Charter Communications and Time Warner Cable,1 which would create a cable and Internet behemoth nearly as big as Comcast. Combined, the new company and Comcast would control two-thirds of the nation’s high speed Internet access.2
The next few days are a critical time to pressure the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to stop this bad deal for American consumers.
Can you help with a quick phone call? We’ll give you everything you need to deliver the message, and automatically connect you to the FCC commissioners who need to hear the voice of the American people.
Make a call to the FCC: Reject the Charter-Time Warner Cable merger. Call for a script and to be automatically connected to key FCC commissioners.
The proposed merger is a bad deal for consumers on a number of fronts:
It was designed to benefit the companies’ executives and Wall Street investors – not consumers. Big cable and Internet companies should be focused on improving customer service, and increasing broadband Internet speeds, not looking toward the next mega-merger that will make Wall Street happy.
If the merger is approved, Charter would take over the New York and Los Angeles broadband Internet markets, and would likely impose price increases on its customers in these diverse communities. This would exacerbate the digital divide by concentrating market power in communities where many people already struggle to afford broadband.
In a recent customer service survey, Charter ranked below hundreds of other companies – even Comcast.3 With even less competition and a captive customer base after a merger, Charter will have little incentive to actually improve customer service.
We need faster, more affordable Internet access – not further consolidation that would put more and more power into fewer hands. I hope you’ll join the broad coalition of progressive groups and activists fighting to stop the proposed merger between Charter Communications and Time Warner Cable by calling the FCC today.
Make a call to the FCC: Reject the Charter-Time Warner Cable merger. Call for a script and to be automatically connected to key FCC commissioners.
Thanks for everything you do.
1.Source
2.Source
3.Source
Friday, March 25, 2016
Tell the FCC to make broadband internet access available to all
From Demand Progress:
Tell the FCC to ensure more Americans have reliable access to the Internet.
By the end of the month, the FCC is expected to vote on whether to expand access to broadband Internet and narrow the digital divide.
It’s astonishing: Nearly 1 in 5 Americans does not have broadband access to the Internet. That’s the digital divide in action.
Most of us rely on the Internet for so much in our daily lives. Everything from job searches, to health care, to homework, to – as Demand Progress members know – taking political action all require Internet access.
The number one factor holding families back from getting online? Cost. And studies show that communities of color are hit hardest.
The FCC has a chance to help close this gap. It’s voting this month on whether to expand the Lifeline program – originally created in the ‘80s to help low-income families afford basic phone service – to cover broadband Internet.
Tell the FCC to narrow the digital divide by expanding broadband Internet affordability for low-income families.
The FCC recognized three decades ago that telephone access was necessary to fully engage in society. Now, the Internet has become at least as critical to life in the 21st century as the phone was in the 80’s.
Closing the digital divide and increasing access for low-income families can create more economic opportunities, promote greater democratic participation, and foster a more just society.
Now, the FCC needs to hear from you, the public.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and Commissioner Mignon Clyburn have already put forth a proposal to modernize Lifeline and expand it to broadband.1
We need to make sure that when the FCC votes, it does the right thing. Making broadband more affordable means low-income families aren’t left further behind when it comes to accessing job opportunities, education, and essential health services.
Will you contact the FCC and let the commissioners know you support increasing broadband access?
Thanks for taking action,
– Mark and the team at Demand Progress
1.Source
Tell the FCC to ensure more Americans have reliable access to the Internet.
By the end of the month, the FCC is expected to vote on whether to expand access to broadband Internet and narrow the digital divide.
It’s astonishing: Nearly 1 in 5 Americans does not have broadband access to the Internet. That’s the digital divide in action.
Most of us rely on the Internet for so much in our daily lives. Everything from job searches, to health care, to homework, to – as Demand Progress members know – taking political action all require Internet access.
The number one factor holding families back from getting online? Cost. And studies show that communities of color are hit hardest.
The FCC has a chance to help close this gap. It’s voting this month on whether to expand the Lifeline program – originally created in the ‘80s to help low-income families afford basic phone service – to cover broadband Internet.
Tell the FCC to narrow the digital divide by expanding broadband Internet affordability for low-income families.
The FCC recognized three decades ago that telephone access was necessary to fully engage in society. Now, the Internet has become at least as critical to life in the 21st century as the phone was in the 80’s.
Closing the digital divide and increasing access for low-income families can create more economic opportunities, promote greater democratic participation, and foster a more just society.
Now, the FCC needs to hear from you, the public.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and Commissioner Mignon Clyburn have already put forth a proposal to modernize Lifeline and expand it to broadband.1
We need to make sure that when the FCC votes, it does the right thing. Making broadband more affordable means low-income families aren’t left further behind when it comes to accessing job opportunities, education, and essential health services.
Will you contact the FCC and let the commissioners know you support increasing broadband access?
Thanks for taking action,
– Mark and the team at Demand Progress
1.Source
Monday, March 14, 2016
Tell the FCC to enforce Net Neutrality no matter what the ISP's say about it
Fight For The Future:
The FCC is deciding right now whether or not to let Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile undermine net neutrality with total impunity.
These companies are trying to see if they can break the law in plain sight and get away with it. If they win, it will endanger the open Internet forever. But the FCC won’t act unless they see an overwhelming public response — help us submit 100,000 comments to the FCC in the next week.
Tell the FCC: Zero-Rating schemes violate Net Neutrality and threaten the open Internet. Don't let Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile get away with breaking the law.
Net neutrality is the basic guiding principle that has made the Internet what it is today. It keeps powerful interests from slowing down or censoring content, and it’s what guarantees us access to the expanse of knowledge that makes the Internet revolutionary.
Last year, the FCC passed the strongest-ever protections for the open Internet, and it happened with such overwhelming public support that companies like Comcast and Verizon can’t publicly oppose net neutrality the way they used to.
Now, Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile are trying to work around the rules by doing something called Zero-Rating, even though last year’s net neutrality rules already ban it as a discriminatory pricing model.
The problem is the FCC decided to deal with zero rating on a, "case by case basis," which so far has meant that the FCC hasn’t done a thing. [1]
Companies are using the FCC’s slow response to their advantage, hoping to spread enough propaganda about the programs that the FCC won't ban them. The reality is, though, the FCC will only act quickly if enough of us speak out and demand that they do the right thing.
Tell the FCC: protect net neutrality and stop Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile from undermining the open Internet.
While each company’s Zero-Rating scheme is a little different, they all functionally work the same way. They all claim to offer consumers something for free, when in reality they use arbitrary data caps to gouge customers for more money while striking special deals that let them manipulate the way we all use the Internet.
Internet experts, academics, and free speech advocates agree that these types of practices are harmful to Internet users and undermine our rights. Wired put it pretty succinctly: Net Neutrality is in More Danger than Ever. [2]
The good news is that asking the FCC to stop this is not unprecedented. Not only is Zero-Rating already against the new rules, just last month, India’s telecom regulator banned Zero-Rating schemes based on the danger they pose to free speech and equal access to information.
But that victory in India only came after millions of people spoke out. We need to do the same thing here, and fast.
Tell the FCC: protect the open Internet and ban Zero-Rating. Don’t let Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile undermine net neutrality.
1.Source
2.Source
The FCC is deciding right now whether or not to let Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile undermine net neutrality with total impunity.
These companies are trying to see if they can break the law in plain sight and get away with it. If they win, it will endanger the open Internet forever. But the FCC won’t act unless they see an overwhelming public response — help us submit 100,000 comments to the FCC in the next week.
Tell the FCC: Zero-Rating schemes violate Net Neutrality and threaten the open Internet. Don't let Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile get away with breaking the law.
Net neutrality is the basic guiding principle that has made the Internet what it is today. It keeps powerful interests from slowing down or censoring content, and it’s what guarantees us access to the expanse of knowledge that makes the Internet revolutionary.
Last year, the FCC passed the strongest-ever protections for the open Internet, and it happened with such overwhelming public support that companies like Comcast and Verizon can’t publicly oppose net neutrality the way they used to.
Now, Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile are trying to work around the rules by doing something called Zero-Rating, even though last year’s net neutrality rules already ban it as a discriminatory pricing model.
The problem is the FCC decided to deal with zero rating on a, "case by case basis," which so far has meant that the FCC hasn’t done a thing. [1]
Companies are using the FCC’s slow response to their advantage, hoping to spread enough propaganda about the programs that the FCC won't ban them. The reality is, though, the FCC will only act quickly if enough of us speak out and demand that they do the right thing.
Tell the FCC: protect net neutrality and stop Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile from undermining the open Internet.
While each company’s Zero-Rating scheme is a little different, they all functionally work the same way. They all claim to offer consumers something for free, when in reality they use arbitrary data caps to gouge customers for more money while striking special deals that let them manipulate the way we all use the Internet.
Internet experts, academics, and free speech advocates agree that these types of practices are harmful to Internet users and undermine our rights. Wired put it pretty succinctly: Net Neutrality is in More Danger than Ever. [2]
The good news is that asking the FCC to stop this is not unprecedented. Not only is Zero-Rating already against the new rules, just last month, India’s telecom regulator banned Zero-Rating schemes based on the danger they pose to free speech and equal access to information.
But that victory in India only came after millions of people spoke out. We need to do the same thing here, and fast.
Tell the FCC: protect the open Internet and ban Zero-Rating. Don’t let Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile undermine net neutrality.
1.Source
2.Source
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
The Time Warner merger with Charter Communications will destroy competition
From Open Media:
Big Telecom is trying to get even bigger… and customers will pay the price. Charter Communications, America’s third-biggest cable company, wants to take over Time Warner Cable, the second-largest.
If this $90 billion deal is approved by the FCC, "Mega Charter" and Comcast together would control the telecom connections to nearly 8 out of every 10 U.S. homes.
Let that sink in: two cable companies, wielding monopolistic control over your Internet service.
If they succeed, they’ll be able to raise your cable bill even higher, because you’ll have nowhere else to turn. We can't let this happen. To fight back, your OpenMedia team has joined forces with our friends at Demand Progress (and others!) to stop this.
You probably haven't heard a lot of talk of this deal, which pleases Charter.
Charter saw how spectacularly Comcast failed at their attempt to takeover Time Warner, and so they're pulling out all the stops to sell a pretty picture to decision-makers at the FCC.1
That's all well and good until you look a little closer. Existing Time Warner Cable customers would have to shell out more for the kind of broadband plans that Charter provides.
And the staggering debt that Mega Charter would take on to acquire Time Warner Cable is troubling if they're really committed to the high costs of building more broadband in rural areas.
Big Cable has repeatedly shown they can't be trusted, because they don't have to win your trust when they corner the market in your community. Tell the FCC to stand with Internet customers and oppose this deal. (We'll also forward your comment to the Senate.)
The truth is that in the long run, this merger will leave people like you with the cost — making our bills go up, flattening the quality of service, and fattening the pockets of people like Charter's Thomas Rutledge and Time Warner Cable's Robert D. Marcus — both of whom would receive more than $100 million in golden parachutes and payouts.2
Malone knows how to close a cable company merger, and he has the influence and money to do it.3
We've got to show the FCC that they must oppose this merger if they want to cement a legacy of broadband access and competition. Will you send a comment to the FCC today?
Together, we can stop Big Cable from getting even bigger.
Thanks.
1.Source
2.Source
3.Source
Big Telecom is trying to get even bigger… and customers will pay the price. Charter Communications, America’s third-biggest cable company, wants to take over Time Warner Cable, the second-largest.
If this $90 billion deal is approved by the FCC, "Mega Charter" and Comcast together would control the telecom connections to nearly 8 out of every 10 U.S. homes.
Let that sink in: two cable companies, wielding monopolistic control over your Internet service.
If they succeed, they’ll be able to raise your cable bill even higher, because you’ll have nowhere else to turn. We can't let this happen. To fight back, your OpenMedia team has joined forces with our friends at Demand Progress (and others!) to stop this.
You probably haven't heard a lot of talk of this deal, which pleases Charter.
Charter saw how spectacularly Comcast failed at their attempt to takeover Time Warner, and so they're pulling out all the stops to sell a pretty picture to decision-makers at the FCC.1
That's all well and good until you look a little closer. Existing Time Warner Cable customers would have to shell out more for the kind of broadband plans that Charter provides.
And the staggering debt that Mega Charter would take on to acquire Time Warner Cable is troubling if they're really committed to the high costs of building more broadband in rural areas.
Big Cable has repeatedly shown they can't be trusted, because they don't have to win your trust when they corner the market in your community. Tell the FCC to stand with Internet customers and oppose this deal. (We'll also forward your comment to the Senate.)
The truth is that in the long run, this merger will leave people like you with the cost — making our bills go up, flattening the quality of service, and fattening the pockets of people like Charter's Thomas Rutledge and Time Warner Cable's Robert D. Marcus — both of whom would receive more than $100 million in golden parachutes and payouts.2
Malone knows how to close a cable company merger, and he has the influence and money to do it.3
We've got to show the FCC that they must oppose this merger if they want to cement a legacy of broadband access and competition. Will you send a comment to the FCC today?
Together, we can stop Big Cable from getting even bigger.
Thanks.
1.Source
2.Source
3.Source
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