A free and open internet is in jeopardy

So how did you mark Net Neutrality Day of Action on July 12? At the very least, I hope you took a moment to appreciate our remarkable free and open internet. Because that internet could be a thing of the past.

The current FCC net neutrality rules help ensure that internet service providers (ISPs), and those who oversee them, treat all internet traffic the same way. And those rules are in jeopardy.

Trump’s chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, (FCC) Ajit Pai, with Republican support, is working to destroy net neutrality by reclassifying the internet so it is no longer regulated as a public utility. This means the big cable companies can control what we see and do online: they can block or slow down traffic to or from specific sites, censor content, and charge whatever they want. So it is no surprise that the big supporters of slashing net neutrality are ISPs like AT&T, Comcast and Verizon.

In 2015, public outcry secured our right to net neutrality safeguards under Title II of the Communications Act. But our free and open internet is under attack again. Pai is spinning a litany of misinformation. Don’t be fooled. The FCC comment period on net neutrality ends Aug. 16. Your voice matters.

This story was originally published July 21, 2017 at 5:07 PM with the headline "A free and open internet is in jeopardy."