Complete Story
12/12/2017
CSCA Action Alert: Net Neutrality
We, the undersigned organizations, stand together in support of the 2015 Open Internet Order, which advocates for "net neutrality," or the right to communicate freely online without interference from internet service providers (ISPs). As organizations devoted to the study of communication in all of its manifestations, we are dedicated to the preservation of free and open access to the internet.
Freedom of speech and expression includes open access to electronic information, including expressions and information that are offensive to some of the populace. The principles of free and responsible use of communication networks, as outlined in a credo by the National Communication Association (NCA), call for equal access to information for all individuals, as well as reliable communication infrastructures (hardware, software, connection speed). Restricting the internet would severely limit the public's ability to remain informed, connected, and involved with one another.
Fulfilling the Trump Administration's pledge to "reverse the overreach" of the 2015 Order, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Ajit Pai released a proposal aimed at dismantling the Open Internet Order's protections of net neutrality. If this proposal is enacted, ISPs will be able to slow down or even block websites or online services that do not serve their interests. They could also ask customers to pay to prioritize the delivery of content through what has been dubbed internet "fast lanes."
Approval of the proposal would create more barriers to innovation, education, and communication, especially for institutions and organizations that need internet access the most, including libraries, universities, and local governments. We call on the FCC to live up to its commitment to advance the "public interest," to support net neutrality, and to reject the Trump Administration's attempts to repeal the 2015 Open Internet Order.
Central States Communication Association
Eastern Communication Association
National Communication Association
Western States Communication Association
To share your opposition to the proposal with the FCC:
- Go to https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/proceedings?q=name:((17-108))
- Click on the 17-108 link (Restoring Internet Freedom)
- Click on "+Express"
- ** Be sure to hit "ENTER" after you put in your name (your name will then feature a yellow box)
- In the comment section, cut-and-paste the statement above
- Click to Review, then Submit. Be sure to hit submit at the end!
