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Hi,
Will you tell Joe Biden to appoint an FCC commissioner who will bring back net neutrality?
Right now the FCC is split 2-2 between supporters and opponents of net neutrality. If the Biden administration appoints a champion of a free and open internet to the FCC, that gives us a 3-2 majority and the chance to restore net neutrality rules.
That's the good news. The bad news: According to published reports, some of the people being considered for this crucial FCC seat include people with strong ties to the telecom industry.1
Demand Progress is mobilizing the internet, along with our allies, to make it clear to the White House that they need to appoint a net neutrality champion to this crucial open seat on the FCC. Can you add your name now?
The Big Cable companies are already undermining the principles of an open internet. After the pandemic sent many of us home for work and school to rely almost entirely on high-speed internet, Comcast continues to enforce data caps on some of its home internet services in many states.2
And that's just the tip of the iceberg of how Big Cable companies have taken advantage since Donald Trump and former Verizon lawyer Ajit Pai took over the FCC and pushed through a repeal of the Open Internet Order.
AT&T has said it would exclude its own streaming service from data caps that it would apply to rivals' services.3 And perhaps most shockingly, during a major wildfire in California, Verizon throttled data for Santa Clara County, impeding the county fire department's ability to respond to the crisis -- until the county paid Verizon more money.4
By nominating a fifth commissioner to the FCC, Biden can ensure we have a majority at this crucial federal agency that can take on the telecoms, protect a free and open internet, and expand broadband. Will you add your voice now?
Thanks for taking action,
Robert and the team at Demand Progress
Sources:
1. S&P Global, "Who Joe Biden might pick for the next FCC chair, and why," January 20, 2021.
2. Ars Technica, "Comcast reluctantly drops data-cap enforcement in 12 states for rest of 2021" February 19, 2021.
3. The Verge, "HBO Max won’t hit AT&T data caps, but Netflix and Disney Plus will," June 2, 2020.
4. Ars Technica, "Verizon throttled fire department’s “unlimited” data during Calif. wildfire," August 21, 2018.
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