Democrats Calling For Congress To Restore Obama-Era Net Neutrality Laws
Net neutrality ended on June 10, but that doesn’t mean that everyone has given up on the Obama-era law. The purpose of net neutrality was to ensure that internet providers could not block specific websites and purposefully alter the speed of access to specific sites, reported the Inquisitr. About six months ago, the Federal Communications Commission voted to repeal the net neutrality law, and since then, advocates have been fighting to get the law restored, according to the Independent.
Internet companies insist that the customer experience will remain unchanged without the net neutrality law, though some are skeptical. Some speculate that an internet company could make video streaming through Netflix faster, than say, Amazon Video, according to partnerships between different companies and internet providers. Others believe that net neutrality helped boost smaller internet companies, which may now have difficulties maintaining or starting a new business.
Rep. Adam Schiff sent a call to action on his Twitter, asking people to encourage their representatives to sign a discharge petition to restore the law. He said that “#NetNeutrality
protections end today because House Republicans refused to act. Congress still has the power to restore a free and open Internet for all.”
In addition, Jessica Rosenworcel, an FCC commissioner, has spoken out in criticism of her colleagues that voted to end net neutrality.
The only way we can bring back #NetNeutrality is if we take back the House of Representatives. We won't let massive telecommunications corporations destroy the free and open internet. We have to vote. https://t.co/q7O6F4nKVr
— Randy Bryce (@IronStache) June 12, 2018
Rosenworcel described the potential consequences to the end of net neutrality.
“Internet service providers now have the power to block websites, throttle services, and censor online content. They will have the right to discriminate and favor the internet traffic of those companies with whom they have pay-for-play arrangements and the right to consign all others to a slow and bumpy road.”
The commissioner has also been outspoken against the repeal from the beginning, and continues to be a loud voice against the end of net neutrality.
#NetNeutrality protections end today because House Republicans refused to act. Congress still has the power to restore a free and open Internet for all.
I signed the discharge petition to force a vote. Call your Representative and ask them to do the same: 202-224-3121.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) June 11, 2018
Meanwhile, Washington and Oregon decided to take matters into their own hands. Both states passed their own laws concerning net neutrality, detailed King5 News. In Oregon’s net neutrality law, public agencies must use internet from companies that offer “equal access to all web traffic,” said KGW. In other states, attorney generals are taking the issue to court, challenging the repeal.
As far as the country-wide repeal goes, President Trump would be the one to review any potential repeals. However, many believe that Trump is a supporter of the net neutrality repeal, and would not seek to overturn the FCC’s vote. The president also reportedly called the law a “power grab.”
