Net Neutrality: So … Now What?

Written on May 20th, 2014 in politics Comments Off

Published on FreePress.net/blog/take action, by Candace Clement, May 16, 2014.

On Thursday, the FCC released its proposal on how it intends to protect Net Neutrality in the wake of a January court case that tossed out the agency’s rules.

And, just as we feared, the rules pay lip service to the idea of the open Internet while proposing solutions that would create a two-tiered Internet with fast lanes for those who can afford it — and dirt roads for the rest of us.

But this doesn’t mark the end of the fight. In fact, Thursday was just the kickoff.

So if you’re like most people I know and you care about this issue but don’t spend every waking moment following the intricate details, fear not. That’s what we’re here for.

Is all hope for Net Neutrality lost?

  • No.
  • In fact, the momentum that’s built for real Net Neutrality over the last five months is unprecedented.
  • Over the coming months, the public will have the opportunity to weigh in on FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler’s proposal. But we’ll also need to get the word out elsewhere — in town-hall meetings, with our elected officials, with the president, etc. The only reason Net Neutrality still has a fighting chance is because people are making a ton of noise about it. If we keep that up, we can win.
  • To truly protect Net Neutrality, the FCC needs to reclassify broadband providers as common carriers under Title II of the Communications Act.

OK, that’s reassuring. So how does this work at the FCC now?

  • May 15 was the official introduction of this proposal in what’s called a “Notice of Proposed Rulemaking” (aka NPRM). With the NPRM out (and despite the chairman’s claims to the contrary, it’s bad — if not worse — than we expected), the public now has a chance to file comments on the plan before the FCC votes on it in September.
  • The NPRM process has two distinct phases: a comment period and a reply-comment period. The initial comment period gives anyone who wants to have a say the opportunity to comment on the FCC’s plan.
  • The reply-comment period will give people the chance to parse through what everyone has said so far, and then the opportunity to weigh in once again. And if the agency chooses, it can then issue what is called a “Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking” to open yet another round of comments.
  • The FCC has indicated that it wants to move forward with a vote this year, so it looks likely that we’ll see one this fall.

That sounds really bureaucratic and complicated. What can I actually do to make an impact?

  • It’s definitely bureaucratic, but it’s not as complicated as you might think. Anyone and everyone can offer their perspective and be part of this fight. The next few months will determine whether we win or lose the Internet. So here’s what you can do to help.

Comment at the FCC:

  • Go here.
  • Select the Open Internet docket (14–28). It will be right at the top.
  • Enter your name and comment into the form.

Keep calling Congress: … //

… (full text including many hyper-links).

Links:

Video and Text: It’s a dead end, German FM joins chorus of discontent over Russia sanctions rhetoric, 3.32 min, on Russia Today RT, May 18, 2014: … “We must avoid falling into an automatic [sanctions] mode, which leads only to a dead end and leaves no more policy options,” Steinmeier said …;

Justifying the Unjustifiable: How the UN Defines “Human Rights”, on Global Research.ca, by Stephen Lendman, May 18, 2014;

Nominate your worst example of outsourcing, on Left Foot Forward, by SARA GORTON, MAY 17, 2014: Unison are inviting nominations for the all new ‘Wolfie Awards’ – focusing on waste and service failure caused by the outsourcing of public services …;

Ukraine: Ihor Kolomoisky offers $ 1 million to murder Oleg Tsarev, on Voltairenet.org, May 17, 2014;

Werkstatt Zukunft – „Hinterm Horizont geht´s weiter“, auf ik news, von Adrian H., 16. Mai 2014;

NAACP releases Minnesota Just Energy Report 2014 (Reducing Pollution and Creating Jobs), May 15, 2014 Download the full report, 37 pdf-pages;
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People NAACP/Mission;

The fight for the Crimea as a problem of constitutional and international law, on Current Concerns, by Professor Dr Karl Albrecht Schachtschneider, Berlin, April 29, 2014;

THEMES: Mafias and narcopolitics, 482 articles on Voltairenet.org;

Captagon® is jihadists’ main weapon, on Voltairenet.org, April 2, 2014: Captagon (Fenetylline hydrochloride) is an amphetamine that causes euphoria and numbs the pain. Mixed with other drugs like hashish, it constitutes the basic feed ration for the jihadists … Manufactured in 2011 by NATO in a laboratory in Bulgaria, Captagon is now manufactures throughout the Middle East, including the Syrian territory;

… and again, just for the pleasure:

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