Historic FCC Vote Will Protect the Future of America’s Economy and Democracy

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Author(s):
Publish Date:
February 26, 2015
Publication Title:
Stanford Center for Internet and Society Blog
Format:
Blog Postings
Citation(s):
  • Barbara van Schewick, Historic FCC Vote Will Protect the Future of America's Economy and Democracy, Stanford Center for Internet and Society Blog, February 26, 2015.
Related Organization(s):

Abstract

Today, the FCC voted to adopt strong network neutrality rules based on Title II of the Communications Act. Here is my statement:

“Today’s vote is among the greatest public interest victories in U.S. history. The FCC’s strong rules banning blocking, throttling and paid prioritization will help protect innovation, economic growth, and democratic discourse in America. These bright-line rules will provide certainty to the market, keep the costs of regulation low, and limit regulatory overreach. Most importantly, they ensure that every American — no matter the size of their wallets or the color of their skin — has an equal chance to innovate and reach people online. By keeping the costs of innovation low, the FCC protects the Internet version of the American dream. For the first time, network neutrality rules apply equally to fixed and mobile networks, ensuring that Internet users are protected no matter how they access the Internet.

Today’s vote shows that our voices matter. One year ago, today’s decision seemed impossible. Large and powerful companies fought hard to end net neutrality. But millions of Americans – Internet users, start-ups, small businesses, artists, scholars, civil rights organizations, public interest groups and many others – organized to protect the future of the Internet. They took to the streets, used every tool the Internet has to offer, and submitted a record breaking four million comments to the FCC — and the agency listened.

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