John,
When Ajit Pai killed net neutrality, everyone knew about how it would allow Big Cable to slow down apps and websites.
But it turns out it was even worse than that.
Pai’s repeal also gave the green light to ISPs to gouge consumers with hidden fees and other rip-offs that are forcing some low-income people off the internet altogether.1
The end of net neutrality gets worse and worse—and we’re redoubling our efforts to pass strong net neutrality protections in Congress and state legislatures across the country. Will you chip in today?
Yes, I’ll donate to help restore net neutrality. Because it's GivingTuesday, a generous donor will match your gift today!
Lost in much of the coverage of Pai’s repeal of net neutrality was that the repeal shifted oversight of the telecommunications industry from the Federal Communications Commission to the Federal Trade Commission.
The reason that’s important is that the FTC is a much weaker agency. Unlike the FCC, the FTC doesn’t have rule-making authority. The agency is also badly understaffed and lacks the expertise to push back on Big Cable’s army of lobbyists.
Now we’re seeing a wave of new consumer rip-offs and hidden fees jacking up the costs of internet access.
One example: Frontier Communications is now charging users a $10 a month rental fee for using routers that the customers already own. Despite numerous complaints, Frontier has refused to stop charging the bogus fee—and the FTC has the power to do little more than pass consumer complaints on to Frontier.2
This is just the tip of the iceberg. Now that Big Cable has a green light to add whatever hidden fees they want, costs will keep going up—and the digital divide will continue to grow.
We’re demanding real internet freedom: Net neutrality protections that stop ISPs from blocking content, slowing apps, and engaging in all manner of other anti-competitive, greedy deeds. Will you chip in?
For the Internet,
Evan at Fight for the Future
Footnotes:
1. Medium: https://onezero.medium.com/killing-net-neutrality-was-even-worse-than-you-think-132a21aab55a
2. Medium: https://onezero.medium.com/killing-net-neutrality-was-even-worse-than-you-think-132a21aab55a
Fight for the Future works to protect your rights in the digital age.
