John

Big News: The Federal Communications Commission just voted to reinstate net neutrality!

Winning back net neutrality after it was repealed in 2017 will expand people's access to broadband, provide greater privacy protections and public safety, and keep companies from censoring or blocking certain content online.

This is a big victory, many years in the making, and it wouldn’t have been possible without you and millions of other people who took action.

Because this has been a multi-year campaign, we have really relied on the support of monthly donors who ensure we have the ongoing resources to keep fighting year-after-year. Can you support more winning fights like this one by becoming a monthly donor, at any dollar amount, today?

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The battle for net neutrality highlights why the work we do at Fight for the Future is so essential.

Over the years we’ve organized millions of people to take action in a bunch of different ways: submitting historically high numbers of comments to the FCC, making calls to lawmakers, participating in online and in-person rallies, meeting directly with lawmakers, and donating to support billboards and ads.^{2, 3, 4, 5} We’ve worked with key constituencies including small businesses, veterans, artists, and reproductive rights organizations to talk about why net neutrality matters to them.^{6, 7, 8, 9} We’ve run Battle For The Net—the grassroots hub for action on net neutrality.¹⁰ And we’ve been a key voice in media coverage of this fight, making sure that the industry B.S. didn’t silence real people.¹¹

All of this work was critical to keeping up pressure to restore net neutrality, and it wouldn’t have been possible without individual supporters. While we’ve received some grants from foundations over the years, that support can fluctuate based on the whims of funders. Individual, grassroots donations are key to ensuring we have the ongoing financial support it takes to make all of that work happen. That’s why I’m hoping you will start your monthly gift today.

While we celebrate this victory today, we know our work isn’t done. Until net neutrality is codified into law there is still the chance it could be repealed again. And we’ll have to remain vigilant and ready to act if that threat becomes real, and to push Congress to legislate open internet protections.

At the same time there are other issues that need this kind of sustained campaigning. Lawmakers just passed a two-year extension of FISA—the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act—which gives the government broad powers of surveillance.¹² We need to run a major campaign over the next two years to push lawmakers to reject the extension of this terrible policy. It’s going to take a massive effort, and how much we’re able to do will depend on the support we have. Again, we’ll rely on our monthly donors to support this ongoing campaign to rein in government surveillance.

We know not everyone can make monthly donations, but if you can, please start yours today to fuel the strategic, people-powered campaigns that can ensure our rights are protected and that technology is a force for good.

Onward,

Caitlin and the team at ❤️Fight for the Future

Footnotes:

1. Variety: https://variety.com/2024/digital/news/fcc-adopts-net-neutrality-rules-internet-regulation-1235981925/

2. The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/8/16751244/net-neutrality-verizon-protests-photos-fight-for-the-future

3. Mashable: https://mashable.com/article/net-neutrality-day-of-action-how-to-help

4. New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/07/technology/net-neutrality-protests-opposition.html

5. The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/aug/30/fcc-net-neutrality-vote-open-internet

6. USA Today: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/abrams/2018/05/30/small-business-lose-if-net-neutrality-goes-away/653679002/

7. Vets for the Net: https://www.vetsforthe.net/

8. Rolling Stone: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/tom-morello-amanda-palmer-fcc-restore-net-neutrality-1234946152/

9. Fight for the Future: https://www.fightforthefuture.org/news/2023-02-09-confirm-gigi-sohn-40-groups-say-a-fully-staffed-fcc-is-essential-for-reproductive-rights/

10. Battle for the Net: https://www.battleforthenet.com/

11. Fast Co: https://www.fastcompany.com/90962872/anti-net-neutrality-astroturf

12. NPR: https://www.npr.org/2024/04/20/1246076114/senate-passes-reauthorization-surveillance-program-fisa