Today, Public Knowledge joins public interest groups in welcoming Airbnb, Spotify, and Dropbox to the internet-wide “Day of Action to Save Net Neutrality” scheduled for July 12 to oppose the Federal Communications Commission’s plan to dismantle the agency’s landmark net neutrality rules. The rules prevent internet service providers like Comcast from blocking websites, throttling connection speeds, and accepting paid-prioritization deals. According to a new Civis Analytics poll, 77 percent of Americans support keeping the existing rules.
Other companies, including Twitter, Reddit, Netflix, Amazon, Facebook, Google, Kickstarter, Etsy, Vimeo, Mozilla, OK Cupid, Imgur, Medium, Kickstarter, GitHub, Patreon, freeCodeCamp, and hundreds of other major sites and organizations, are also participating in this massive online protest organized by consumer advocacy groups. Participants will display prominent messages on their websites on July 12 or encourage users to take action using push notifications, videos, social media, and email outreach. The event is on track to becoming the world’s largest online protest yet, with more than 70,000 people and sites getting involved.
Public Knowledge opposes Chairman Pai’s move to gut the net neutrality rules, leaving consumers, small businesses, artists, students, hospital patients, low-income families, startups and entrepreneurs at the mercy of broadband providers. Read more about why we’re participating here.
The following may be attributed to Chris Lewis, Vice President at Public Knowledge:
“Wednesday’s Day of Action is only the beginning of a massive pushback against the effort to remove essential net neutrality protections. Public Knowledge is proud to be a part of the protest as one of the long-time public interest champions for ensuring an Open Internet. We encourage everyone who uses the internet to join the online protest and visit the Public Knowledge or other allied websites like Battle For The Net to participate and sign up to make your voice heard.
“The facts of the issue are clear. The current net neutrality rules are working, they are popular, and they have been upheld in court challenges twice. Everyone benefits by preserving these simple rules that maintain a free market and level playing field for all websites and services online. No one should have to pay an extra toll or get permission from their broadband provider to deliver their content or services to consumers online.
“This is especially important when broadband providers are getting into a variety of other markets where they can prefer their services over competitors, from online payments and financing to security systems and competitive video offerings. Eliminating these rules will hurt the existing free market online, reduce consumer choices, and could increase costs for consumers. The only people that benefit from eliminating the current net neutrality rules are the big cable and broadband companies that stand to add to the billions of dollars they already make in profits.”
You may register to join here and speak with Public Knowledge experts for additional details. You may also learn more about the Civis Analytics poll results here.
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.