2018 saw extraordinary levels of sustained activism, with significant victories and renewed momentum going into a new Congress.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 13, 2018
Contact: Mark Stanley, press@demandprogress.org, 202.681.7582
Friday, Dec. 14th, marks the one year anniversary of the FCC’s vote to repeal the 2015 Open Internet Order. The following can be attributed to Demand Progress Communications Director Mark Stanley:
“One year ago, the FCC—led by former Verizon lawyer Ajit Pai—took what will long be remembered as one of the agency’s most disastrous votes, overriding the will of the American public by repealing open internet protections.
“In the days ahead of the vote, thousands took to the streets to oppose the move and countless Americans, of all political persuasions, contacted the FCC. Far from receding after a matter of days or even weeks, the public anger and activism opposing this giant giveaway to ISPs eventually helped secure a historic 52-47 vote in the Senate to overturn the FCC.
“Tireless advocacy also carried a discharge petition that would force a vote in the House to the doorstep of passage. In the last two weeks, four new representatives have signed or pledged to sign the petition, bringing the total to 181 and ensuring renewed momentum on the eve of a new Congress that will see control of the House shift to Democrats.
“In the last year, the public has made it clear: The demands for net neutrality will not die. Amidst news that Verizon throttled data services of a California fire department this summer, and reports that wireless carriers are slowing apps like YouTube and Netflix, the public will continue to press lawmakers for legislation in 2019 that restores the protections stripped by the FCC.
“Demand Progress thanks the senators and representatives who have supported the Congressional Review Act to reverse the FCC — they will be remembered as standing for an open internet when it mattered most. We look forward to continuing to work with these lawmakers and engaging our two million members—who include students, educators, small business owners, political activists, and communities for which the open internet is a crucial lifeline—on this issue. From protests, to meetings with lawmakers, to phone calls and emails, the public will continue to speak out loudly and make itself heard until the corrupting grip of Big Telecom loosens over Washington and lawmakers back strong net neutrality."
Demand Progress is a lead group, along with Fight for the Future and Free Press Action Fund, behind BattleForTheNet.com, a hub for online activism in the years-long fight for net neutrality, as well as Team Internet, a distributed organizing project that has supported hundreds of in-person activism events across the country. Demand Progress has also organized StopTheFCC.net, a coalition including some of the country’s largest netroots groups that has driven nearly 1.8 million contacts to Congress over the last year.
Links:
- Huffington Post: Protesters Demonstrate Outside Verizon Stores, Congressional Offices To Save Net Neutrality
- Discharge petition signers: http://clerk.house.gov/115/lrc/pd/petitions/DisPet0011.xml
- Ars Technica: Verizon throttled fire department’s “unlimited" data during Calif. wildfire
- Bloomberg: YouTube, Netflix Videos Found to Be Slowed by Wireless Carriers
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