Former FCC chairman will talk net neutrality in Baltimore this week

Net neutrality regulations passed during the Obama administration could be rolled back by the Federal Communications Commission, but they’re not going quietly.
Last week, tech companies joined in a day of action that encouraged letter-writing to Congress, our sister site Technical.ly Philly reported. The FCC received 9 million comments in response to the proposed changes. That’s a record, USA Today reports.
In Baltimore, the effort to spread the word is continuing with a public forum this week. Congressman John Sarbanes and former Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler will be at Betamore in City Garage on Wednesday, July 26, discussing the issue in a public forum.
The 11 a.m. forum, titled “The Fight to Preserve a Free & Open Internet,” will also feature remarks from the former FCC General Counsel Jonathan Sallet and Demand Progress Campaign Director Kurt Walters. It’s open to the public, and will include a chance to ask questions.
The net neutrality regulations passed in 2015 are designed to prevent internet service providers from blocking content or prioritizing one source’s content over another. After President Donald Trump took office, new FCC chairman Ajit Pai started a process to overturn the regulations in May. The White House was supportive of the effort.
This week’s event marks a chance to hear perspective on what could happen to the internet from the team who put the now-threatened regulations in place.