Major websites like Tumblr, Medium, Etsy, and Vimeo are joining Feb 27 day of action to block the repeal of net neutrality
The FCC voted to kill net neutrality, allowing Internet providers like Verizon, Comcast, and AT&T to impose new fees, throttle online content, and block apps and websites. But Congress can still block the repeal of these protections using the Congressional Review Act (CRA), and we’re just one vote away from winning in the Senate. And one vote away from giving Ajit Pai the worst day of his corrupt political career.
So on February 27 major websites, online communities, and Internet users are planning Operation: #OneMoreVote, an Internet-wide day of action laser-focused on finding the final vote we need to pass the CRA resolution in the Senate and take the fight to the House.
Planning for the day of action just started, but already popular companies like Tumblr, Etsy, Vimeo, Medium, Namecheap, Imgur, Sonos, and DuckDuckGo have announced their participation. The day of action is being called for by the groups behind BattleForTheNet.com: Fight for the Future, Demand Progress, and Free Press Action Fund, who have been responsible for many of the largest online protests in history, from SOPA to the Internet Slowdown.
Internet users will be encouraged to sound the alarm on social media and sign up to receive alerts with their lawmaker’s position on net neutrality and prompts to take action on the big day, while websites, subreddits, and online communities will display prominent alerts driving phone calls, emails, and tweets to Senators and Representatives calling on them to pass the CRA.
50 Senators have already come out in support of the CRA, which would completely overturn the FCC’s December 14 decision and restore net neutrality protections. Several Senators have indicated that they are considering becoming the 51st vote we need to win, but they’re under huge pressure from telecom lobbyists. Only a massive burst of energy from the Internet will get them to move.
If we can pass the CRA in the Senate, we’ll take the fight to the House of Representatives, where we’ll need to wage an all-out war to reach the 218 votes (a simple majority) needed to force the CRA past any blocks from leadership to the floor. If we hit that number, it can’t be stopped by a filibuster either.
Before the CRA can officially start moving, the FCC must now enter the rules into the Federal Register, which will start a countdown of 60 legislative days for the Senate to act. If the CRA passes both houses, it will go to the President’s desk. The White House, which has criticized mergers and other actions by large telecom companies, has been noticeably quiet about the FCC repeal, which was unpopular with voters from across the political spectrum including 3 out of 4 Republicans, making it possible that if enough GOP members voted for the CRA, Trump will sign it.
Net neutrality is NOT dead yet. And it’s too important to stop now. This isn’t just about how fast our videos load, it’s about the future of the Internet as a platform for free expression, economic innovation, and exchange of ideas. It’s about the future of our democracy.
The movement is growing and we are fighting to win. Join us for Operation: #OneMoreVote on February 27 and lets flood the Senate to save net neutrality!
