The FCC votes 3-2 for net neutrality repeal

Posted on Dec 14, 2017 by Caleb Chen
fcc

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) just voted 3-2, along party lines, to repeal Net Neutrality. The Open Internet Order of 2015 is no more – the online privacy and net neutrality protections gained by American citizens during the Obama Administration are now all gone. The FCC will no longer be responsible for policing net neutrality violations by internet service providers (ISPs) in the country and will now . Earlier this year, the FCC also stopped enforcing internet privacy violations by ISPs, as online privacy regulations that were supposed to be enforced by the FCC were repealed by a Congressional Review Act vote. Net neutrality advocates are now hoping that a similar CRA action can reverse the FCC’s vote on net neutrality. Internet access is meant to be private, it’s meant to be open, and most of all it’s meant to be neutral. Now though, with the 3-2 vote, the removal of net neutrality simulator may not just be a simulation for long.

FCC votes to end net neutrality protections in the United States

The telecom industry lobbied hard for this day to come. They spent millions of dollars, influenced key individuals in power, and they may have won this battle but they have not won the war. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has even been shown to have a genuine personal financial interest in repealing net neutrality. Without net neutrality, we will have fast lanes, we will have slow lanes. We will have higher costs and fewer freedoms. These are the types of behaviors that internet users will have to live with, because they don’t actually have access to a free market of ISP providers. The internet should be a utility – but the FCC does not currently agree. The FCC has gone further and mentioned that they would stop states from maintaining net neutrality protections, though some states like Washington have committed to doing so anyways. Similarly, when the resolution stripping FCC protections of online privacy rules was repealed by Congress and signed by President Trump, many local governments stood up to the challenge. Similarly, as net neutrality goes the way of online privacy and starts to disappear, many users will discover that VPN technology may provide them with a neutral, encrypted internet access.

Thoughts on the net neutrality repeal: Private Internet Access VPN will always fight for net neutrality and online privacy

From shining the cat signal to raise awareness for the Internet Defense League, which has been charging in the Battle for the Net, to meeting in person with Congressman Coffman, the first Republican politician to – our team has been fighting for net neutrality at all levels. We’ve participated in days of action, we’ve called on our users to call Congress themselves. While this may have seen ineffectual this time around – rest assured that it was not. Once again: Internet access is meant to be private, it’s meant to be open, and most of all it’s meant to be neutral. Continue fighting for net neutrality with us. Always.