Activists Push Hill on Net Neutrality Rollback

Net neutrality activists were preparing to take to Capitol Hill Tuesday (June 26) to try and convince, or pressure, legislators to support an effort to nullify the FCC's net neutrality reg rollback, which took effect June 11.

The latest "day of advocacy"--there have been other net neutrality activist action days--is backed by, among others, Consumer Reports, Demand Progress, Public Knowledge, Free Press, Fight for the Future, and the National Hispanic Media Coalition.

The groups say more than four dozen people have scheduled meetings with their representatives Tuesday, before the the legislators' July 4 break.

The Senate, with the help of three Republicans, passed a Congressional Review Act resolution nullifying FCC chairman Ajit Pai's Restoring Internet Freedom Order, but for the House to do the same it would take a couple dozen Republican votes activists don't have to discharge the resolution from committee and force a floor vote, plus some Democrats that have not yet signed on either.

Related: FCC's Carr Says Internet Won't End June 11

The CRA is a long shot, but the groups are hardly ready to throw in the towel, and could also use the issue in the midterms if they could force a vote, then highlight those who voted against restoring the rules against online blocking, throttling and paid prioritization.

"If broadband providers, with the silent assent of policy makers, continue to walk away from net neutrality and other consumer protections over broadband, Americans could begin to see fewer choices online, higher prices, and an internet that looks more like the tiered offerings of cable television," said Public Knowledge VP Chris Lewis.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.