Save Our Internet: Take Action. Yes, You!
The big money interests behind the Internet are making trouble again, and we need to take a stand. Big corporations are trying to manipulate the regulatory environment so it benefits them. If that happens, it means smaller companies and consumers (that’s you and me) will lose.
Big providers like Comcast, Verizon and AT&T want to end net neutrality so they can charge extra fees to control online content.
What is net neutrality? It simply means that the user gets to determine what content is pulled their way—without some broker favoring particular content and delivering that because it pays more.
Net neutrality helps ensure there is room for creativity and equal access for any Internet user. If you think this is important, you stand with around 61% of Americans.
Take Action Now: Invest 30 Seconds
Most importantly, you can take action in about 30 seconds to help protect the Internet’s net neutrality. Send a pre-written letter to the FCC with a simple button click
https://www.battleforthenet.com
I could write a lot more about this, but there are a lot of Internet “freedom fighters” who have already said it pretty well. Here are a few pieces you can read for greater detail. Or, simply google on “net neutrality.”
Response from California Senator Kamala Harris
Dear Mr. Smith,
Thank you for contacting me to express your support for net neutrality. I always appreciate hearing from California constituents and welcome the opportunity to respond on this important issue.
Nearly fifty years ago, California researchers built a prototype interoperable computer network. Today, that network is the internet—an engine of unprecedented innovation, creativity, and prosperity. The internet has transformed our society, connecting us with loved ones, enabling entrepreneurship on a level playing field, and providing instant access to a global audience. A free and open internet is a powerful tool, particularly for historically disadvantaged communities. Anyone can use the internet to make their voice heard, regardless of their gender, the color of their skin, who they love, or where they were born. And any business, no matter how small or new, can use the internet to connect with consumers and thrive.
In 2015, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted commonsense rules to protect the internet’s openness. Those net neutrality rules, called the Open Internet Order, provide that the gatekeepers to the internet—cable companies and wireless providers, for example—cannot block, slow down, or otherwise interfere with lawful online services. Those rules guarantee that the online marketplace remains a level playing field, where you—not your service provider—get to choose the next global sensation.
The new leadership at the FCC recently proposed a radical regulatory reversal, effectively eliminating the Open Internet Order. I strongly oppose the proposal, and as your senator, I will fight to protect net neutrality. Just as importantly, I have exercised my right as a member of the public to comment on the FCC’s proposal—joining the over 700,000 Californians who have urged the FCC to maintain net neutrality. I encourage you to continue making your voice heard.
The internet is one of California’s greatest gifts to the nation, and to the world. As Californians, I believe we have a special responsibility to safeguard the internet’s freedom and openness.
Once again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3553.
Sincerely,
Kamala D. Harris
United States Senator
