Civic Register
| 12.14.17

FCC Votes to Repeal Net Neutrality

Join us and tell your reps how you feel!

What’s the story?

The Federal Communications Commission voted to dismantle net neutrality regulations, allowing internet providers to speed up – or slow down – service to apps and websites.

Why does it matter?

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and the commission’s two other GOP members voted to enact Pai’s Restoring Internet Freedom act. With its passage, Pai said "the federal government will stop micromanaging the internet."

The "Restoring Internet Freedom" rule also changes who regulates the web. Under the 2015 rules, the FCC reclassified broadband as a utility, which gave the commission the authority to regulate broadband like telephones. Now, that authority is shifted to the Federal Trade Commission.

Net neutrality supporters, and critics of the rollback, have argued that all internet traffic should be free to run at equal speeds. They’ve said – and continue to say - that protections were needed to keep internet service providers (ISPs) like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T from blocking or slowing certain websites or charging additional fees to visit other sites.

But in a video – and series of gifs – released last night, Pai attempted to assuage critics of the repeal.

Pai said that even with the repeal, you’ll still be able to:

Instagram your food

Take selfies with your pets

And drive memes into the ground

What do you think?

There’s currently a House bill that would block the FCC from rolling back net neutrality. Should Congress take up net neutrality? Hit Take Action and let your reps know your thoughts, then comment below. And make sure to share your thoughts with Ajit Pai using our widget.

(Don’t blame Pai if you can’t see the widget—it’s not available on iPhone, but you can access it on the Countable website.)

—Josh Herman

Related Reading

(Photo Credit: imaginima / iStockphoto)