Onstage at TechCrunch Disrupt NY, FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn urged the public to continue voicing their support for a free and open internet.
“Net neutrality is doomed if we’re silent,” she said.
Many have questioned the future of net neutrality under Trump-appointed FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. The Republican-controlled commission has made its intentions known to strip away regulations surrounding net neutrality and privacy that were put in place by former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler. In March, President Trump signed an order rescinding the Broadband Privacy rule, allowing ISPs to sell consumer browsing data.
Clyburn has been one of the most vocal supporters of consumer privacy protection and the open internet at the FCC. The best way to make a difference on these issues is to make your voice heard, Clyburn believes.
“[The internet] is the most enabling platform of our time,” she said. “The only way to defend something is to weigh in.”
The commissioner claimed that over a million people had reached out offering opinions on how the FCC should act; she also noted that researchers have suggested that 96% of those who have weighed in have done so in favor of an open internet.
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Net neutrality isn’t the only topic on the commissioner’s mind. Clyburn also took the time to discuss at length her efforts to improve the affordability of inmate communications solutions at private prisons and highlight the lack of protections available for families trying to get in touch with inmates. Expensive video call solutions from companies the space are “disrupting families and lives,” Clyburn says.
Clyburn, who was appointed to the FCC by Obama in 2013, will be wrapping up her term as commissioner this year. She wouldn’t offer too many details in terms of what’s next, but did say she planned to continue speaking up for the issues she fought for at the FCC.
“Regardless of my title, I’m not going far.”
Magerune on May 17th, 2017 at 15:27 UTC »
Saying NO to this shit every 2 years when "internet freedom rape" or the "let us rape the internet act" is a game the American people can't win. Fuck your politicians for even implying this is your fault for not being vocal enough. I'M frustrated and I'm not even American.
apocalyptustree on May 17th, 2017 at 13:55 UTC »
Americans need an analogy to understand why Net Neutrality is in their best interest.
They need to be told that Net Neutrality,is like the Freeway system. Without Net Neutrality it'll be like switching over to toll roads for every road.
Gahd on May 17th, 2017 at 13:13 UTC »
WE HAVE NOT BEEN SILENT!
We were not silent any time over the last few years as they repeatedly try to shove it down our throats. It has nothing to do with how loud we are, it has to do with how many ways they can reword the same crap and try to slip it through with a new name.