Network Neutrality

With the network neutrality rules coming off the books, how is your Internet experience likely to change? Here's what you need to know:

The Federal Communications Commission’s Restoring Internet Freedom Order, which goes into effect on June 11, 2018, will protect the open Internet that consumers cherish while paving the way for better, faster, cheaper Internet access. The order replaces unnecessary, heavy-handed regulations
dating back to 1934 with strong consumer protections, increased transparency, and common-sense regulations that will promote investment and broadband deployment. The FCC’s framework for protecting Internet freedom has three key parts:

You can be sure that Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai and his cronies in the phone and cable lobby will declare victory on June 11, but the expiration of the 2015 net neutrality rules will be only a temporary hiccup. The fight is far from over in Congress, in the courts, and across the country. That’s because people everywhere understand what’s at stake. Without net neutrality, large phone and cable companies will control the future of communications, deciding who gets a voice and who doesn’t. No one thinks that letting Comcast manage our clicks is a good idea.

There has always been a challenge to ensure all Americans can get the news and information they seek -- a challenge that has been a personal one for our family. I hope you and your peers will take a stand. In your own artistic self-interest, you need to think about how you will connect with and grow your audience in the digital age. (You have bills to pay, after all!) But in the greater public interest, we need you to act as stewards to ensure a handful of big companies don’t impede innovation, block information, or stifle culture and free speech. Be energized and help us right the ship.

Although net neutrality protections end June 11, don't expect to see huge changes right away.

Two pivotal developments this week could dramatically expand the power and footprint of major telecom companies, altering how Americans access everything from political news to “Game of Thrones” on the Internet.

Here are some financial, technical, and political measures you can take: 1) Find net neutrality- and privacy-friendly broadband providers, 2) Subscribe to a virtual private network, 3) Use an encrypted DNS service, and 4) Find consumer-friendly states (or make them that way). 

Congress is less than 50 votes from passing a measure that would restore network neutrality rules to the internet. The motion, which passed the Senate on May 16th, would use the Congressional Review Act (or CRA) to undo Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai’s December order, effectively restoring the net neutrality protections passed in 2015. In May, House Communications Subcommittee Ranking Member Mike Doyle (D-PA) filed a discharge petition that would force the House to vote on the CRA motion, and has been steadily collecting signatures ever since.

Former Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler has challenged current Chairman Ajit Pai to push for a House vote on the Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to nullify Pai's Restoring Internet Freedom order rolling back network neutrality rules.

Democratic senators are urging Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) to hold a vote on a resolution that would restore the Federal Communications Commission's network neutrality rules.  All 49 Democratic senators signed a letter to Speaker Ryan asking him to schedule a vote for the resolution, which passed the Senate in May.