When we left off in January, mid-February was the deadline for getting the FCC to halt the repeal of Net Neutrality. Well, here we are and that did not happen. Now that the appeal is formally in the Federal Register, both sides can work to argue their cases. The Senate members who want to block the rollback of Net Neutrality have 60 days to get the votes needed to stop the FCC. The fight in Congress is just stage one. The House will be another, harder battle. This Washington Post’s article on what happens now and how this may play out politically is worth reading.
In the meantime, states are preparing for the likelihood that the rollback will become official and Net Neutrality protections are gone. Governors in Vermont, Hawaii, Montana, New Jersey, and New York have signed executive orders enforcing net neutrality on ISPs that provide services to the government in their states. Oregon Senators sent a bill to the governor last week mandating that the state and local government agencies contract with ISPs that meet net neutrality standards. While symbolically significant, forcing ISPs that work with government agencies to adhere to these rules but not enforcing it elsewhere may have very little impact on the choices of an ISP where state government contracts may be a drop in the bucket to their bottom line. Washington state has made the boldest moves in legislation legislating net neutrality for all ISPs that operate in the state.
The net neutrality saga will forge on. No impact to online strategies is expected this year but we are keeping our ears open for the tone and direction the big players in this space are taking as we gear up for a potential shift, not only in the industry but in our culture itself.
If maintaining neutral internet access is important to you, continue to act. Visit https://www.battleforthenet.com/ to send your message to congress or tweet and call those senators (here’s the list) who have not yet claimed support of net neutrality.
