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In downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, the nocturnal critter (and an impressive climber) began his ascent of the UBS Plaza building late afternoon Tuesday. But with cameras from inside and out tracking his progress, the little fella's push towards the top soon became an online sensation. (Photo: Twitter/@Paige_Donnelly)
As Internet Captured by #MPRraccoon, Big Telecoms and FCC Salivate Over Pending Death of #NetNeutrality
"Omg guys the #mprraccoon just grabbed onto a ---- *Twitter is not yet included in your Internet Service package. Please pay $9.99 to upgrade and read the remainder of this tweet.*"
Jun 13, 2018
A skyscraper-scaling raccoon lit up the Internet overnight--generating hope, anxiety, and the #mpraccoon hashtag on social media--and defenders of net neutrality warn it's just the latest example, benign and light-hearted as it is, of what could be lost if big telecoms and the Trump FCC are not thwarted in their effort to hijack control of the world wide web in the name of profit and greed.
In downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, the nocturnal critter (and an impressive climber) began his ascent of the UBS Plaza building late afternoon Tuesday. But with cameras from inside and out tracking his progress, the little fella's push towards the top soon became an online sensation.
Watch:
But as Evan Greer, campaign director for the online advocay group Fight For the Future, tweeted:
\u201cOmg guys the #mprraccoon just grabbed onto a ----\n\n*Twitter is not yet included in your Internet Service package. Please pay $9.99 to upgrade and read the remainder of this tweet.*\n\n#NetNeutrality\u201d— Evan Greer is on Mastodon (@Evan Greer is on Mastodon) 1528863449
While new rules by the FCC which killed net neutrality protections officially went into effect on Monday, groups like Fight for The Future--along with a broad coalition of civil rights organizations, online companies and services, and organized citizens--are refusing to accept defeat and have put a laser focus on the U.S. House of Representatives, demanding passage of a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution that would nullify the corporate assault on the principle that guarantees all web traffic is treated equally.
\u201cRight now there is nothing legally preventing Internet providers like AT&T from blocking, throttling, or charging more for sites that compete with content it owns.\n\nCall Congress and demand #NetNeutrality ASAP:\nhttps://t.co/rqIktQUpWb\u201d— @team@fightforthefuture.org on Mastodon (@@team@fightforthefuture.org on Mastodon) 1528843942
In the end, we happily report, the raccoon made it safely to the top of the building on Wednesday morning. Its reward? Reportedly a nice bowl of cat food.
How Internet is that?
An Unconstitutional Rampage
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
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A skyscraper-scaling raccoon lit up the Internet overnight--generating hope, anxiety, and the #mpraccoon hashtag on social media--and defenders of net neutrality warn it's just the latest example, benign and light-hearted as it is, of what could be lost if big telecoms and the Trump FCC are not thwarted in their effort to hijack control of the world wide web in the name of profit and greed.
In downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, the nocturnal critter (and an impressive climber) began his ascent of the UBS Plaza building late afternoon Tuesday. But with cameras from inside and out tracking his progress, the little fella's push towards the top soon became an online sensation.
Watch:
But as Evan Greer, campaign director for the online advocay group Fight For the Future, tweeted:
\u201cOmg guys the #mprraccoon just grabbed onto a ----\n\n*Twitter is not yet included in your Internet Service package. Please pay $9.99 to upgrade and read the remainder of this tweet.*\n\n#NetNeutrality\u201d— Evan Greer is on Mastodon (@Evan Greer is on Mastodon) 1528863449
While new rules by the FCC which killed net neutrality protections officially went into effect on Monday, groups like Fight for The Future--along with a broad coalition of civil rights organizations, online companies and services, and organized citizens--are refusing to accept defeat and have put a laser focus on the U.S. House of Representatives, demanding passage of a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution that would nullify the corporate assault on the principle that guarantees all web traffic is treated equally.
\u201cRight now there is nothing legally preventing Internet providers like AT&T from blocking, throttling, or charging more for sites that compete with content it owns.\n\nCall Congress and demand #NetNeutrality ASAP:\nhttps://t.co/rqIktQUpWb\u201d— @team@fightforthefuture.org on Mastodon (@@team@fightforthefuture.org on Mastodon) 1528843942
In the end, we happily report, the raccoon made it safely to the top of the building on Wednesday morning. Its reward? Reportedly a nice bowl of cat food.
How Internet is that?
A skyscraper-scaling raccoon lit up the Internet overnight--generating hope, anxiety, and the #mpraccoon hashtag on social media--and defenders of net neutrality warn it's just the latest example, benign and light-hearted as it is, of what could be lost if big telecoms and the Trump FCC are not thwarted in their effort to hijack control of the world wide web in the name of profit and greed.
In downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, the nocturnal critter (and an impressive climber) began his ascent of the UBS Plaza building late afternoon Tuesday. But with cameras from inside and out tracking his progress, the little fella's push towards the top soon became an online sensation.
Watch:
But as Evan Greer, campaign director for the online advocay group Fight For the Future, tweeted:
\u201cOmg guys the #mprraccoon just grabbed onto a ----\n\n*Twitter is not yet included in your Internet Service package. Please pay $9.99 to upgrade and read the remainder of this tweet.*\n\n#NetNeutrality\u201d— Evan Greer is on Mastodon (@Evan Greer is on Mastodon) 1528863449
While new rules by the FCC which killed net neutrality protections officially went into effect on Monday, groups like Fight for The Future--along with a broad coalition of civil rights organizations, online companies and services, and organized citizens--are refusing to accept defeat and have put a laser focus on the U.S. House of Representatives, demanding passage of a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution that would nullify the corporate assault on the principle that guarantees all web traffic is treated equally.
\u201cRight now there is nothing legally preventing Internet providers like AT&T from blocking, throttling, or charging more for sites that compete with content it owns.\n\nCall Congress and demand #NetNeutrality ASAP:\nhttps://t.co/rqIktQUpWb\u201d— @team@fightforthefuture.org on Mastodon (@@team@fightforthefuture.org on Mastodon) 1528843942
In the end, we happily report, the raccoon made it safely to the top of the building on Wednesday morning. Its reward? Reportedly a nice bowl of cat food.
How Internet is that?
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