Marchingontogether
TK Veteran
The net neutrality protesters went as far as to set up camp outside the FCC in order to fight plans they say could create a two-tier Internet and hand control of the worldwide web to tech giants.
The Occupy-style rally began outside the FCC’s headquarters with protesters unfurling banners reading “Save the Internet”. The protesters claimed they were going to camp outside the FCC for a week, until a day when the outfit was expected to announce new rules for the Internet that would formalize plans for higher speed Internet for people able to pay for it. A few days ago, a number of tech giants, including Google, Facebook and Amazon, joined others in signing a letter to the FCC to reject “individualized bargaining and discrimination” for online traffic.
The community has become increasingly concerned that the new FCC rules could end “net neutrality”, which is a concept that all traffic should be treated equally on the Internet. In the meantime, FCC keeps defending its plans for the so-called “open Internet”. However, the future of the concept was questionable since a federal court struck down most of the “open Internet” order in a case launched by Verizon. This outcome paved the way for fast lanes that the major ISPs have lobbied hard for.
Over 1,000,000 people have already signed the paper calling for FCC to enshrine net neutrality rules and prevent a tiered Internet system. 86 entities, such as the American Civil Liberties Union, Free Press and Reddit, have also asked the Commission to reclassify ISPs as “telecommunication services”, which would give it the right to impose net neutrality rules on them.
In the meantime, critics argue that cable companies can challenge any new rules to tie their hands unless the FCC increase control over them and prove that they have already effectively created a two-tier system. Apparently, after the lost case to Verizon, a tiered system has already begun to form with many companies striking deals for a faster service with ISPs.
The petition claims that the Internet has become a fundamental right, and therefore people should have equal access to it. The opposition admits they have received an “unbelievable amount of support” from people when such rules appeared. Although they may seem technical, but in the end, they will affect everyone’s life, so people won’t just stand by and let this happen.
The Occupy-style rally began outside the FCC’s headquarters with protesters unfurling banners reading “Save the Internet”. The protesters claimed they were going to camp outside the FCC for a week, until a day when the outfit was expected to announce new rules for the Internet that would formalize plans for higher speed Internet for people able to pay for it. A few days ago, a number of tech giants, including Google, Facebook and Amazon, joined others in signing a letter to the FCC to reject “individualized bargaining and discrimination” for online traffic.
The community has become increasingly concerned that the new FCC rules could end “net neutrality”, which is a concept that all traffic should be treated equally on the Internet. In the meantime, FCC keeps defending its plans for the so-called “open Internet”. However, the future of the concept was questionable since a federal court struck down most of the “open Internet” order in a case launched by Verizon. This outcome paved the way for fast lanes that the major ISPs have lobbied hard for.
Over 1,000,000 people have already signed the paper calling for FCC to enshrine net neutrality rules and prevent a tiered Internet system. 86 entities, such as the American Civil Liberties Union, Free Press and Reddit, have also asked the Commission to reclassify ISPs as “telecommunication services”, which would give it the right to impose net neutrality rules on them.
In the meantime, critics argue that cable companies can challenge any new rules to tie their hands unless the FCC increase control over them and prove that they have already effectively created a two-tier system. Apparently, after the lost case to Verizon, a tiered system has already begun to form with many companies striking deals for a faster service with ISPs.
The petition claims that the Internet has become a fundamental right, and therefore people should have equal access to it. The opposition admits they have received an “unbelievable amount of support” from people when such rules appeared. Although they may seem technical, but in the end, they will affect everyone’s life, so people won’t just stand by and let this happen.