Democratic officials request FCC delay on net neutrality vote

Twenty-eight US senators, led by Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH), called on FCC Chairman Pai to delay the net neutrality vote scheduled for this week to provide time to investigate interference in the proceeding docket. The chairman has responded that he will not delay the vote and that his proposal will pass.

That response is troubling given that the senators’ letter followed an initial investigation by FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel and New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. Their investigation found that bots potentially interfered in the public comment period of the net neutrality proceeding, excluding perhaps as many as 50,000 public comments. Rosenworcel and Schneiderman were concerned enough with the results of the investigation to call for a delay in the proceeding.

Pai should heed the warnings of Rosenworcel and Schneiderman and hear the calls of lawmakers and others to delay the vote.

Links:

Democratic Sens. Push FCC Net Neutrality Vote Delay (Broadcasting & Cable, Dec. 5, 2017)

CWA tells FCC: the US needs clear rules to protect a free and open Internet (Speed Matters, Dec. 7, 2017)