This morning the Federal Communications Commission passed what proponents of net neutrality would call an ideal rule for net neutrality, by defining internet service providers (ISPs) as common carriers.
In a 3-2, party-line vote, the rules went through.
As the vote neared, Mayor Bill de Blasio published an op-ed on Huffington Post in support of FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler’s proposed rules.
Etsy CEO Chad Dickerson traveled to Washington to speak at the hearing. He previewed his thoughts, however, in a post on Medium where he explained how an open internet enabled a young English major to make his way in the tech economy.
After the vote, Kickstarter CEO Yancey Strickler circulated a brief statement via press release:
A free Internet with equal access for all is vital to a diverse and vibrant culture of open exchange. We’re grateful that the FCC has heard the millions of voices who believe in a free and open internet. Today’s step is a huge victory, however, we must remain diligent in protecting everyone’s rights as citizens of the web.
Etsy and Kickstarter were arguably two of the loudest corporate voices on the net neutrality issue. They were both founding members of an open-internet lobbying group in Washington.
VHX, which has spoken out on the issue throughout, posted a photo of the commissioners whose votes passed the new rules:
https://twitter.com/vhxtv/status/571022648345550848
The largest Meetup group around, weighed in with its two cents:
Technical.ly Brooklyn has been following this issue closely.
- We listed the local companies participating in Internet Slowdown Day.
- We first explored the interesting net neutrality implications of limitless data for certain apps on mobile, which the FCC also dealt with in this ruling.
- We noted when Etsy hired a policy pro, in part to make its opinion on this matter clear in D.C.
- We asked local congressional reps what they thought about the issue.
- We caught up with a nationwide series of grassroots demonstrations, which kicked off at the Brooklyn Public Library.
- And we followed up by asking local leaders what they thought when Wheeler told the world he was convinced.
