Enjoy It Now: Net Neutrality Ends June 11
The FCC announced that its controversial “Restoring Internet Freedom Order” would take effect on June 11. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai (left), issued the following statement that read, in part, “I strongly support a free and open Internet. And that’s exactly what we’ve had for decades, starting in the Clinton Administration. The Internet wasn’t broken in 2015, when the prior FCC buckled to political pressure and imposed heavy-handed Title II rules on the Internet economy. It doesn’t make sense to apply outdated rules from 1934 to the Internet, but that’s exactly what the prior Administration did.”
Pai continued, “Now, on June 11, these unnecessary and harmful Internet regulations will be repealed and the bipartisan, light-touch approach that served the online world well for nearly 20 years will be restored. The Federal Trade Commission will once again be empowered to target any unfair or deceptive business practices of Internet service providers and to protect American’s broadband privacy. Armed with our strengthened transparency rule, we look forward to working closely with the FTC to safeguard a free and open Internet… For months, many politicians and special interests have tried to mislead the American people about the Restoring Internet Freedom Order. Now everyone will be able to see the truth for themselves.”
Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel (left), one of two Democrats on the Commission, respectfully begged to differ, issuing her own strongly worded statement that read, “Today, the FCC gave notice that net neutrality protections will be taken off the books on June 11. This is profoundly disappointing. The agency failed to listen to the American public and gave short shrift to their deeply held belief that Internet openness should remain the law of the land. The agency turned a blind eye to serious problems in its process — from Russian intervention to fake comments to stolen identities in its files.
Rosenworcel continued, “The FCC is on the wrong side of history, the wrong side of the law, and the wrong side of the American people. It deserves to have its handiwork revisited, reexamined, and ultimately reversed. I raised my voice to fight for Internet freedom. I’ll keep raising a ruckus to support net neutrality and I hope others will too.”
