Trump’s FCC faces significant legal attack over net neutrality repeal

“Arbitrary and capricious” – that’s how a lawsuit filed by 21 state attorneys general described the FCC’s recent repeal of net neutrality. Mozilla said the lack of open Internet protections would harm Internet entrepreneurs. Free Press, Public Knowledge, and the Open Technology Institute said the repeal would harm consumers. Trump’s FCC faces significant legal attacks over its vote to eliminate open Internet rules.

“The repeal of net neutrality would turn internet service providers into gatekeepers — allowing them to put profits over consumers while controlling what we see, what we do, and what we say online,” said New York AG Eric Schneiderman, who led the suit by the state attorneys general.

Last year, the Republican majority FCC eliminated bright-line rules to prevent blocking, throttling, and favoritism on the Internet. In doing so, the regulators eliminated essential safeguards that ensure fair Internet access to all users.

While state AGs, companies, and public interest groups file lawsuits against Trump’s FCC, state legislators in New York, California, Washington, Massachusetts, and even Republican-controlled Nebraska have indicated they will introduce state-level legislation to preserve a free and open Internet.

CWA opposed the FCC’s net neutrality repeal and supports a California bill to restore Internet safeguards in the state.

Links:

Flurry of Lawsuits Filed to Fight Repeal of Net Neutrality (New York Times, Jan. 16, 2018)

Democrats work to save net neutrality (Speed Matters, Jan. 10, 2018)

CWA: FCC vote will damage free and open Internet (Speed Matters, Dec. 14, 2017)

CA net neutrality bill passes out of committee (Speed Matters, Jan. 12, 2018)