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.”
The_Brutally_Honest on May 17th, 2017 at 16:41 UTC »
Alright. Fuck this. I think we can agree that the conventional ways of voicing ourselves aren't working anymore. Calling, emailing, writing comments, and sending letters are not working cuz they can just delete or ignore all of those.
Now, we need action! Find the fuel from this bullshit and let's have an Internet freedom Protest. Outside the FCC headquarters along with all those dirtbag telecom company headquarters would be ideal.
I have no problem leading the charge to get this organized. Stay tuned!
Edit: /r/MarchForNetNeutrality just created as of 10:00am Pacific Time. Let's fuckin do this and be done with this bullshit!
I'm gonna need help with this too!
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.
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.