Net neutrality repeal causes wide controversy

Delaney Garrelts, Reporter

The FCC recently repealed one of the most important set of guidelines of this generation, net neutrality.

Getting rid of these rules will bring complete chaos and completely rewire the way Americans use the internet today.

Net neutrality is so important because it is what lets everyone communicate freely online. It enables and protects our rights to say what we want. People can’t block applications others want to view, they can’t choose what content others view, and all internet is equal.

Since net neutrality has been repealed, the disastrous effects could lead to phone and cable companies dividing the internet into slower and faster sites.

An ISP could speed up some sites while keeping others slow. Companies could be forced to pay large sums of money just to keep up with the competition, and ones who can’t afford it will be left in the slow lane.

People could be forced to pay for websites in bundles, like a social media package.

This causes problems, however, because not every site can fit into these packages and people may not be able to pay for exactly what they want.

Getting rid of these essential rules has led to a lot of controversy, because people were vehemently protesting in order to protect the open internet.

Ajit Pai, chairman of the FCC, is getting a massive amount of hate on social media. Even his children are being harassed. Pai and his family have faced multiple death threats from strangers online.

The reason Pai is receiving so much backlash is that he was the face of repealing net neutrality, which gives a large advantage to big companies.

Pai supporting this appears suspicious to some, considering he used to work for Verizon, a large company that will directly benefit from these rules being repealed.

Despite the massive amounts of public backlash, the FCC continued plans to get rid of the one thing keeping the internet neutral.

Now that it is gone, it will be a rush for who can pay the most to get the fastest speeds, and who can pay the most to slow everyone else down.

The order they used to repeal net neutrality is called the “Restoring Internet Freedom” order. ISPs gained control of the Federal Trade Commission (which provides consumer protection and prevents monopolies from occurring).

Recently, Sen. Ed Markey (R-Mass.) got the 30 votes he required to force a vote in order to reverse the decision by the FCC under the Congressional Review Act (CRA).

Currently, 43 senators are in favor of the CRA, which is shy of the 51 needed to reverse the decision.

Even if it passes in the Senate, it would then need to pass in the House and be signed by the president, which is unlikely because of Trump’s support of Pai.

The bipartisan majority of American people were absolutely against the decision to repeal net neutrality, but it happened anyway.

Proponents for the repealed rules will continue to fight against the decision, doing whatever they can to get fair and equal internet back.

To help get net neutrality back, email Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) at www.moran.senate.gov and www.roberts.senate.gov to tell them to help reverse Pai’s decision.

The FCC recently repealed one of the most important set of guidelines of this generation, net neutrality.

Getting rid of these rules will bring complete chaos and completely rewire the way Americans use the internet today.

Net neutrality is so important because it is what lets everyone communicate freely online. It enables and protects our rights to say what we want. People can’t block applications others want to view, they can’t choose what content others view, and all internet is equal.

Since net neutrality has been repealed, the disastrous effects could lead to phone and cable companies dividing the internet into slower and faster sites.

An ISP could speed up some sites while keeping others slow. Companies could be forced to pay large sums of money just to keep up with the competition, and ones who can’t afford it will be left in the slow lane.

People could be forced to pay for websites in bundles, like a social media package.

This causes problems, however, because not every site can fit into these packages and people may not be able to pay for exactly what they want.

Getting rid of these essential rules has led to a lot of controversy, because people were vehemently protesting in order to protect the open internet.

Ajit Pai, chairman of the FCC, is getting a massive amount of hate on social media. Even his children are being harassed. Pai and his family have faced multiple death threats from strangers online.

The reason Pai is receiving so much backlash is that he was the face of repealing net neutrality, which gives a large advantage to big companies.

Pai supporting this appears suspicious to some, considering he used to work for Verizon, a large company that will directly benefit from these rules being repealed.

Despite the massive amounts of public backlash, the FCC continued plans to get rid of the one thing keeping the internet neutral.

Now that it is gone, it will be a rush for who can pay the most to get the fastest speeds, and who can pay the most to slow everyone else down.

The order they used to repeal net neutrality is called the “Restoring Internet Freedom” order. ISPs gained control of the Federal Trade Commission (which provides consumer protection and prevents monopolies from occurring).

Recently, Sen. Ed Markey (R-Mass.) got the 30 votes he required to force a vote in order to reverse the decision by the FCC under the Congressional Review Act (CRA).

Currently, 43 senators are in favor of the CRA, which is shy of the 51 needed to reverse the decision.

Even if it passes in the Senate, it would then need to pass in the House and be signed by the president, which is unlikely because of Trump’s support of Pai.

The bipartisan majority of American people were absolutely against the decision to repeal net neutrality, but it happened anyway.

Proponents for the repealed rules will continue to fight against the decision, doing whatever they can to get fair and equal internet back.

To help get net neutrality back, email Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) at www.moran.senate.gov and www.roberts.senate.gov to tell them to help reverse Pai’s decision.