How would you feel if your Internet Service Provider BLOCKED YOUR ACCESS TO STEEMIT? The DEADLINE for the COMMENT period is coming up on JULY 17th.
Make your COMMENT here before July 17th: https://www.fcc.gov/restoring-internet-freedom
Select "New Filing" from the link below the docket number in the top left corner.
Under "Type of Filing" (on the next page) select "Comment"
The internet has become so much a part of the lives of most Americans that it is easy to imagine that it will always remain the free and open medium it is now.
We'd like to believe it will remain a place where you can always access any lawful content you want, and where the folks delivering that content can't play favorites because they disagree with the message being delivered or want to charge more money for faster delivery.
But there are no such guarantees.
If the Trump FCC has its way, this open internet — and the “network neutrality” principles that sustain it — could be a thing of the past.
Don't let it happen.
The Trump FCC is moving fast to rescind the agency’s network neutrality protections. On May 18, 2017, the agency voted 2-1 to move forward with this destructive policy.
The FCC is now accepting public comments, through August 16, 2017. At that point, the commissioners will vote on a final version of the proposal to rescind the rules. Citizens need to make their voices heard, not only in comments to the FCC but also to their elected representatives.
New technologies now allow telecom companies to scrutinize every piece of information we send or receive online — websites, email, videos, internet phone calls, or data generated by games or social networks.
And they can program the computers that route that information to interfere with the data flow by slowing down or blocking traffic and communicators that they don't like!
Real abuses happened consistently before the FCC put its network neutrality rules in place (and AFTER -- See my other blog on this subject detailing the flagrant VIOLATION of the LAWs even after they were adopted and put in place).
AT&T's jamming of a rock star's political protest. During an August 2007 performance by the rock group Pearl Jam in Chicago, AT&T censored words from lead singer Eddie Vedder's performance. The ISP, which was responsible for streaming the concert, shut off the sound as Vedder sang, "George Bush, leave this world alone" and "George Bush, find yourself another home." By doing so, AT&T, the self-advertised presenting sponsor of the concert series, denied viewers the complete exclusive coverage they were promised. Although Vedder's words contained no profanity, an AT&T spokesperson claimed that the words were censored to prevent youth visiting the website from being exposed to "excessive profanity." AT&T then blamed the censorship on an external Website contractor hired to screen the performance, calling it a mistake and pledging to restore the unedited version of Vedder's appearance online.
Comcast's throttling of online file-sharing through BitTorrent. In 2007, Comcast, the nation's largest cable TV operator and second largest ISP, discriminated against an entire class of online activities in 2007 by using deep packet inspection to block file transfers from customers using popular peer-to-peer networks such as BitTorrent, eDonkey, and Gnutella. Comcast's actions, which were confirmed in nationwide tests conducted by the Associated Press, were unrelated to network congestion, since the blocking took place at times when the network was not congested. Comcast blocked applications that are often used to trade videos — pirated content but also much legitimate content. Critics noted that Comcast hopes to sell online video itself. The FCC subsequently took action against Comcast for this abuse; Comcast stopped the throttling but also challenged the order in court and won, leading to a crisis in enforcement of network neutrality.
Verizon Wireless's censorship of NARAL Pro-Choice America. In late 2007, Verizon Wireless cut off access to a text-messaging program by the pro-abortion-rights group NARAL that the group used to send messages to its supporters. Verizon stated it would not service programs from any group "that seeks to promote an agenda or distribute content that, in its discretion, may be seen as controversial or unsavory to any of our users." Verizon Wireless reversed its censorship of NARAL only after widespread public outrage.
Telus' blocking of striking workers' web site. In 2005, the Canadian telecom, involved in a bitter labor dispute, blocked its internet subscribers from accessing a website run by the union that was on strike against Telus.
Here's my last post on this pressing issue:
Submit a Letter to the FCC and Congress: https://www.battleforthenet.com/
Here's another way to submit your COMMENT: https://elbo.in/FCC