SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
Internet freedom advocates are preparing for a Day of Advocacy in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday. (Photo: Free Press/Flickr/cc)
Open internet defenders warned members of Congress that on Tuesday's Day of Advocacy for net neutrality rules, they will be hearing directly from their constituents about how they should vote on saving the regulations--and how the wrong decision could affect their job security.
"Most days the FCC and Congress are dominated by the opinions of large cable and telecom companies with armies of well-paid Washington lobbyists," said Chris Lewis, vice president at the public interest group Public Knowledge. "Tuesday, in both Washington and in communities around the country, Americans are lobbying for themselves. Some FCC commissioners have dismissed the overwhelming public support for restoring net neutrality rules, but they are unelected. Members of Congress ignore the overwhelming bipartisan support for net neutrality at their own risk."
\u201cTOMORROW: On June 26 we're teaming up with allies to hold a Net Neutrality Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill. Join us as we urge House reps to pass the #NetNeutrality CRA and restore the open-internet rules. \n\nSign up here: https://t.co/oNr6jKyWUM https://t.co/oNr6jKyWUM\u201d— Free Press (@Free Press) 1529938506
Public Knowledge and Free Press will be joined by a number of other groups--including Fight for the Future, Common Cause, and the National Hispanic Media Coalition--for the day of advocacy.
The Senate voted in favor of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn the FCC's repeal of net neutrality in May--moving a step closer to preventing internet service providers like Verizon and Comcast from blocking and throttling websites and creating "fast lanes" that give priority to certain content.
Advocates are now demanding that members of the House of Representatives support a petition to force a vote on the CRA.
Activists will be at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, talking to their elected officials about how the end of net neutrality would affect their lives and work.
\u201c#NetNeutrality ended last Monday. A large #publisher could pay to increase their traffic while internet service providers #ISP could slow down traffic to my small #publishing business. Special interest with $ could pay to suppress other points of view while advancing their own. https://t.co/tiTVsk8DNr\u201d— Matthew Barron (@Matthew Barron) 1529360314
"People have been using the internet to save the internet every day," said Sandra Fulton, director of government relations at Free Press Action Fund. "Tomorrow, they're taking action in person, urging their elected representatives to stand with the vast majority of Americans who oppose the FCC's unpopular decision to repeal net neutrality protections . We know that the open internet is critical for marginalized communities that corporate media have misrepresented; that it's essential for free speech and political organizing online; and that working families need an open network to survive just as much as tech entrepreneurs do ."
Dozens of events are also planned in cities and towns across the country, with internet freedom advocates set to protest at their elected officials' offices.
"The overwhelming majority of Americans understand that strong net neutrality rules are the prerequisite for an open and citizen-friendly internet," said Yosef Getachew of Common Cause. "Members of Congress will hear directly from their constituents--everyday Americans from all walks of life--on why net neutrality is important to them. Tomorrow's advocacy demonstrates the strong voice of the American people demanding an open internet and urging their elected officials to support the resolution restoring the FCC's net neutrality rules."
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Open internet defenders warned members of Congress that on Tuesday's Day of Advocacy for net neutrality rules, they will be hearing directly from their constituents about how they should vote on saving the regulations--and how the wrong decision could affect their job security.
"Most days the FCC and Congress are dominated by the opinions of large cable and telecom companies with armies of well-paid Washington lobbyists," said Chris Lewis, vice president at the public interest group Public Knowledge. "Tuesday, in both Washington and in communities around the country, Americans are lobbying for themselves. Some FCC commissioners have dismissed the overwhelming public support for restoring net neutrality rules, but they are unelected. Members of Congress ignore the overwhelming bipartisan support for net neutrality at their own risk."
\u201cTOMORROW: On June 26 we're teaming up with allies to hold a Net Neutrality Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill. Join us as we urge House reps to pass the #NetNeutrality CRA and restore the open-internet rules. \n\nSign up here: https://t.co/oNr6jKyWUM https://t.co/oNr6jKyWUM\u201d— Free Press (@Free Press) 1529938506
Public Knowledge and Free Press will be joined by a number of other groups--including Fight for the Future, Common Cause, and the National Hispanic Media Coalition--for the day of advocacy.
The Senate voted in favor of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn the FCC's repeal of net neutrality in May--moving a step closer to preventing internet service providers like Verizon and Comcast from blocking and throttling websites and creating "fast lanes" that give priority to certain content.
Advocates are now demanding that members of the House of Representatives support a petition to force a vote on the CRA.
Activists will be at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, talking to their elected officials about how the end of net neutrality would affect their lives and work.
\u201c#NetNeutrality ended last Monday. A large #publisher could pay to increase their traffic while internet service providers #ISP could slow down traffic to my small #publishing business. Special interest with $ could pay to suppress other points of view while advancing their own. https://t.co/tiTVsk8DNr\u201d— Matthew Barron (@Matthew Barron) 1529360314
"People have been using the internet to save the internet every day," said Sandra Fulton, director of government relations at Free Press Action Fund. "Tomorrow, they're taking action in person, urging their elected representatives to stand with the vast majority of Americans who oppose the FCC's unpopular decision to repeal net neutrality protections . We know that the open internet is critical for marginalized communities that corporate media have misrepresented; that it's essential for free speech and political organizing online; and that working families need an open network to survive just as much as tech entrepreneurs do ."
Dozens of events are also planned in cities and towns across the country, with internet freedom advocates set to protest at their elected officials' offices.
"The overwhelming majority of Americans understand that strong net neutrality rules are the prerequisite for an open and citizen-friendly internet," said Yosef Getachew of Common Cause. "Members of Congress will hear directly from their constituents--everyday Americans from all walks of life--on why net neutrality is important to them. Tomorrow's advocacy demonstrates the strong voice of the American people demanding an open internet and urging their elected officials to support the resolution restoring the FCC's net neutrality rules."
Open internet defenders warned members of Congress that on Tuesday's Day of Advocacy for net neutrality rules, they will be hearing directly from their constituents about how they should vote on saving the regulations--and how the wrong decision could affect their job security.
"Most days the FCC and Congress are dominated by the opinions of large cable and telecom companies with armies of well-paid Washington lobbyists," said Chris Lewis, vice president at the public interest group Public Knowledge. "Tuesday, in both Washington and in communities around the country, Americans are lobbying for themselves. Some FCC commissioners have dismissed the overwhelming public support for restoring net neutrality rules, but they are unelected. Members of Congress ignore the overwhelming bipartisan support for net neutrality at their own risk."
\u201cTOMORROW: On June 26 we're teaming up with allies to hold a Net Neutrality Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill. Join us as we urge House reps to pass the #NetNeutrality CRA and restore the open-internet rules. \n\nSign up here: https://t.co/oNr6jKyWUM https://t.co/oNr6jKyWUM\u201d— Free Press (@Free Press) 1529938506
Public Knowledge and Free Press will be joined by a number of other groups--including Fight for the Future, Common Cause, and the National Hispanic Media Coalition--for the day of advocacy.
The Senate voted in favor of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn the FCC's repeal of net neutrality in May--moving a step closer to preventing internet service providers like Verizon and Comcast from blocking and throttling websites and creating "fast lanes" that give priority to certain content.
Advocates are now demanding that members of the House of Representatives support a petition to force a vote on the CRA.
Activists will be at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, talking to their elected officials about how the end of net neutrality would affect their lives and work.
\u201c#NetNeutrality ended last Monday. A large #publisher could pay to increase their traffic while internet service providers #ISP could slow down traffic to my small #publishing business. Special interest with $ could pay to suppress other points of view while advancing their own. https://t.co/tiTVsk8DNr\u201d— Matthew Barron (@Matthew Barron) 1529360314
"People have been using the internet to save the internet every day," said Sandra Fulton, director of government relations at Free Press Action Fund. "Tomorrow, they're taking action in person, urging their elected representatives to stand with the vast majority of Americans who oppose the FCC's unpopular decision to repeal net neutrality protections . We know that the open internet is critical for marginalized communities that corporate media have misrepresented; that it's essential for free speech and political organizing online; and that working families need an open network to survive just as much as tech entrepreneurs do ."
Dozens of events are also planned in cities and towns across the country, with internet freedom advocates set to protest at their elected officials' offices.
"The overwhelming majority of Americans understand that strong net neutrality rules are the prerequisite for an open and citizen-friendly internet," said Yosef Getachew of Common Cause. "Members of Congress will hear directly from their constituents--everyday Americans from all walks of life--on why net neutrality is important to them. Tomorrow's advocacy demonstrates the strong voice of the American people demanding an open internet and urging their elected officials to support the resolution restoring the FCC's net neutrality rules."