The Day of Action will be the latest demonstration of the massive public support for net neutrality, regardless of political affiliation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 11, 2017
Media contact: Mark Stanley, 202.681.7582, [email protected],
or Pierce Stanley, 202.350.0454, [email protected]
Tomorrow—Wednesday, July 12th—will mark an Internet-Wide Day of Action to Save Net Neutrality. The Day of Action will include participation from internet users, grassroots groups and some of the largest online platforms, including Twitter, Amazon, Facebook, Google, Reddit, and Netflix, among others.
The Day of Action will focus on grassroots mobilization, with public interest groups like Demand Progress and its allies activating their members, and major platforms providing visitors with tools to contact Congress and the FCC to oppose the FCC’s plan to reverse the classification of broadband internet access services under Title II of the Communications Act — the legal foundation for net neutrality.
The following statement can be attributed to Demand Progress Director of Communications Mark Stanley:
“The Day of Action to Save Net Neutrality will serve as a major wake up call for Washington.
“Time and again, massive public mobilization and polling have demonstrated the widespread popularity of net neutrality, no matter one’s political affiliation. For the public, it’s common sense that large internet service providers like Comcast and Verizon should not be able to trample on free speech and innovation by slowing down or blocking websites.
“Only in Washington, where monopolistic ISPs have outsized influence and employ legions of lobbyists, is this issue at all controversial or partisan. However, Republicans on the FCC and particularly in Congress cannot afford politically to be on the wrong side of this issue by siding with Comcast over their constituents.
“If a Republican FCC dismantles the legal foundation for net neutrality by rolling back Title II classification, constituents will hold accountable the administration and Members of Congress who do not publicly oppose the FCC’s plan.
“We have seen some willingness from these Members to put their constituents ahead of ISP-favored policies that place profits before the public. Earlier this year, over a dozen Republicans in the House broke ranks with their caucus and joined every Democrat in opposing a bill allowing ISPs to sell users’ data without permission. Now is the time for a similar stance — all lawmakers in Washington should oppose the FCC’s anti-net neutrality proposal that will do immeasurable harm to free speech and innovation, and is deeply unpopular with all but the country’s largest ISPs.”
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