John,
After years of campaigning, we are on the cusp of winning back net neutrality. But the fight isn’t over yet, and we’re going to have to push with all we’ve got to make it to the finish line.
Your support can ensure we have the resources it will take to engage strategically at every step of the process, and a monthly donation is the best way to make sure we can go all-out to win.
I want to quickly remind you where we’ve been and what this fight is about.
Net neutrality is the principle that everyone should have access to websites and apps, and that keeps Internet Service Providers like Comcast & Verizon from blocking, throttling, discriminating or charging extra fees to access online content, as well as stopping monopolistic platforms like Facebook, YouTube and Amazon from making anti-competitive deals with Internet providers.
Back in 2015 we organized some of the largest online actions in the history of the Internet to win the Open Internet Order, which established net neutrality as a Title II protection, and solidified it as the rule that Internet providers must follow.1 But in 2017, FCC Chair Ajit Pai moved to repeal these protections.2 We fought like hell to stop him, organizing small businesses, first responders, veterans, and millions of others to show their support for net neutrality. In that moment, we were thwarted by Big Cable and Ajit Pai (a former Verizon lawyer). But we’ve continued to fight, building support for the Save the Internet Act in Congress and state bills that would enshrine net neutrality protections in law, and doing all we could to win back net neutrality at the FCC.
And now is our moment: We have two net neutrality champs nominated for positions at the FCC who, if confirmed, can reinstate net neutrality.3 We must make sure the Senate confirms them this year to ensure we can win back net neutrality in 2022.
But you can be absolutely certain that Big Cable will spend millions opposing us. They’ve already started pushing negative press around the FCC nominees—even though they are well-qualified. This will continue at every step of the process, and it’s likely to get dirty. In past net neutrality fights Big Cable was proven to be behind false comments and even targeted us directly with phishing scams to try to weaken our organization. We can expect all this and more.4
But we’re ready to take Big Cable on, because this fight is too important. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that the mission of ensuring equitable and affordable access to the Internet is more urgent now than ever before. And monopolistic giants like Facebook, YouTube and Amazon are cutting anti-competitive deals with Internet service providers like Verizon and AT&T to prioritize their services, further expanding their power.5,6
For all these reasons we have to be ready to fight back against Big Cable and win back net neutrality. We’re going to need to generate millions of messages to the FCC and to Congress, we’re going to have to organize events to show the widespread support for net neutrality, and we’re going to have to counter Big Cable in media outlets to make sure their high-paid lobbyists don’t win in the press.
In the past we’ve been able to do all of this work because people like you were supporting us all the way. And that’s what we need now: we need to know you’re with us in this fight. The best way to do that is to start your monthly donation to Fight for the Future to ensure we have the resources to fight back against Verizon, Comcast, and AT&T, and so that we can use this momentum to win back net neutrality.
Together for the net,
Caitlin and the whole Fight team❤️
P.S. We’re wholly committed to fighting for an Internet that protects your rights, and we want you on our team. So join us as a monthly donor and we’ll send you some gifts to acknowledge your support and dedication to the fight!
Footnotes:
1. FCC.gov: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-releases-open-internet-order
2. The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/14/16777626/ajit-pai-net-neutrality-speech
3. Wired: https://www.wired.com/story/bidens-fcc-picks-net-neutrality-broadband-advocates/
4. New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/06/technology/internet-providers-fake-comments-net-neutrality-new-york.html
5. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jul/27/facebook-free-basics-developing-markets
6. EFF: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/03/atts-hbo-max-deal-was-never-free
Fight for the Future works to protect your rights in the digital age.
