It's been two years since the Trump-controlled and partisan Federal Communications Commission repealed the open internet rule that guaranteed net neutrality. Senate Democrats gathered on the floor Tuesday to bring up the Save the Internet Act, but of course a Republican was there to block them. This time, it was Sen. Roger Wicker from Mississippi.
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In the two years without open internet protections, broadband providers have been busy throttling online content. Among the examples, as detailed by Public Knowledge: "Sprint throttling internet traffic to Microsoft’s Skype, a service that competes with Sprint’s calling service; Verizon’s throttling of services that affected the Santa Clara County Fire Department’s ability to provide emergency services during the California wildfires; and other examples that show how broadband providers have used the lack of net neutrality rules to their advantage to profit from slowing down certain types of internet traffic and favoring certain types of content."
That's just the beginning, and every day that goes by without open internet protections is just another opportunity for broadband providers to take away everything good. Another example: our location data from cell phone providers being sold to bounty hunters, or to whatever bad actor might have a desire to hunt someone down or resell the data on the black market. The throttling that net neutrality advocates warned against is happening, with most wireless carriers slowing down internet speed for selected video streaming services. Cox Communications is doing just what Big Telecom said wouldn't happen—it's offering fast lanes for gamers who will pay an extra $15 per month. And Frontier Communications is charging subscribers a $10 monthly modem rental fee, even when they already own their modems.
Consumers are being ripped off—and worse. Look at Verizon: It endangered lives by throttling internet traffic during California wildfires. That's life-and-death kind of power, which FCC chair Ajit Pai and Republicans have no problem with. The House has passed legislation to restore net neutrality, and the bill is sitting in the Senate with 45 cosponsors, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell won't let it come to the floor for a vote.
There's just one more reason to ditch Mitch and elect a Democratic Senate. Please give $1 to our nominee fund to help Democrats and end McConnell's career as majority leader.