FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, not a UN stooge.
The Federal Communications Commission meets Thursday morning to vote on net neutrality, and will almost certainly vote to reclassify broadband service under Title II of the Telecommunications Act, giving the agency the regulatory power to ensure that internet service providers act in the "public interest" and conduct business in ways that are "just and reasonable." Since Republicans are not interested in either the public interest or businesses being just and reasonable, they're gearing up for a big fight in Congress to legislate those rules, and they're telling a lot of lies to do it. This time around, though, the fact-checkers
don't seem to be willing to let them get away with it.
THE CLAIM: "President Obama's plan marks a monumental shift toward government control of the Internet." — Republican FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai.
THE FACTS: It's a shift for sure, but the FCC hasn't proposed regulating Internet content or controlling access to websites. The question is how to regulate Internet service so providers don't block or slow web traffic for financial gain. […]
THE CLAIM: FCC Chairman "Wheeler has chosen to ignore the unprecedented Internet innovation, investment and job creation that have all thrived without government intervention and regulation." -- Rep. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, in a Feb. 19 statement.
THE FACTS: It is true that the Internet has flourished and is lightly regulated compared with other industries. It's also true that this exponential growth occurred under a system in which broadband providers mostly agreed not to discriminate against Web traffic.
Providers operated under the threat of regulation for several years until late 2010, when the FCC adopted open Internet rules. Those rules were in effect until early 2014, when a federal court struck them down. So it's not true that there hasn't been any government regulation.
There's also the claim that it will it raise taxes by $18 billion. The FCC says
it won't. There's also federal law, the Internet Tax Freedom Act, that bans taxes on Internet service.
The best one so far, though, is clearly designed to terrify the tea-party, black helicopter crowd, you know, the "death panel" people. Sen. John Thune (R-SD) says this net neutrality regulation could result in China and Russia forcing the UN to take over the internet. Really. He says that.
So get ready for the crazy to be fully unleashed on this one, as the Republicans line up to do big telecom's bidding. One battle for the internet has been won, and it's a huge, huge win. But we'll need to take that momentum and win again in Congress.
Please, help us protect all that we've built with this amazing campaign. Call your members of Congress today urging them to "Let the FCC do its job" to create net neutrality rules and protect an open internet.
Can't call? Sign and send a petition to your member of Congress: Don't kill net neutrality.