Today, the Federal Communications Commission voted to approve an Order on Remand that would reaffirm the agency’s 2017 net neutrality repeal. The vote is a response to a 2019 remand by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in Mozilla v. FCC ordering the agency to address how its net neutrality repeal could harm public safety, pole attachments, and even the Lifeline program.
The net neutrality rules created by the FCC’s 2015 Open Internet Order prevented broadband providers from blocking websites, throttling web traffic, or creating “fast lanes” only for those able to pay for prioritization. Millions of Americans expressed support for these rules by submitting comments with the FCC, and more than 80 percent of Americans consistently say they support restoring the protections the FCC adopted in the 2015 Open Internet Order. Chairman Pai’s FCC repealed these rules in 2017, effectively stripping Americans of these consumer protections that are so fundamental in an increasingly online world.
Public Knowledge, a litigant in Mozilla v. FCC, has consistently fought for strong net neutrality rules and will continue urging the public to speak out about the importance of a free and open internet.
The following can be attributed to John Bergmayer, Legal Director at Public Knowledge:
“This vote represents another step in the Pai FCC’s abandonment of its basic public interest and statutory duty to protect broadband users. With this vote, the FCC has decided that deregulation is more important than protecting public safety communications and promoting and encouraging the deployment of affordable broadband.
“Ironically, the FCC is now claiming sweeping authority over social media and other online platforms without a legitimate legal basis — after claiming it has no authority to regulate broadband, which clearly falls under the agency’s traditional telecommunications jurisdiction. Nevertheless, the fight to protect net neutrality and promote good broadband policy is not over, and Public Knowledge will continue to engage in that fight.”
Members of the media may contact Communications Director Shiva Stella with inquiries, interview requests, or to join the Public Knowledge press list at shiva@publicknowledge.org or 405-249-9435.