A new ACLU report proves community broadband networks can challenge the Telecom monopoly and beat net neutrality’s repeal.
Credit: Chip Somodevilla
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has seen serious pushback since it voted to repeal net neutrality last December.
At least 27 U.S. states are now considering their own replacement net neutrality legislation, and 21 attorneys general have filed suit against the FCC for repealing the Obama-era regulations, which prohibited Internet Service Providers (ISPs) from slowing down or blocking certain websites they don’t like.
Now, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is releasing new guidelines highlighting an additional step activists can take to prevent corporations like Comcast, Verizon and AT&T from monopolizing the internet: building their own broadband networks.
“Nothing the FCC has done prevents a city, county, or town from directing its own, municipally run service to honor strong network neutrality,” the report, released Thursday, read. “If commercial providers are determined to make money by violating the privacy and speech rights of their users…then states, cities, towns and counties should […]
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Since 2011 the repubes controlling the NC leg passed a law effectively preventing any public broadband service except two operating before the ban. The two municipalities internet services provide much faster speeds at a reasonable price that has been self supporting. All these were arguments for the ban by the very business friendly legislators-you know the storyline, gov can’t run any service particularly high tech, cost will be paid by abused tax payers, stealing business from the poor mega corps…