Google and other tech giants sign open letter to oppose FCC’s internet “fast lanes” proposal
By now, you know our stance on the FCC’s reported internet “fast lanes” proposal, laws that once passed, will give ISPs like Comcast or Time Warner the protection they need to charge internet companies for access to higher data speeds. Our own Rob Jackson wrote an opinion piece on the entire matter a few weeks back, calling the entire affair a “devastating blow to this open and awesome thing we call the internet.”
Today, in an open letter to the Federal Communications Commission, tech giants like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and of course, Netflix, or are coming out against the FCC’s proposal, all in an effort to keep the internet “free and open” for not only internet companies, but its users as well. The letter politely asks the FCC to turn away from their sin and instead of strangling the internet, help establish rules that protect users and internet companies against paid prioritization, while providing greater transparency for internet services.
The letter goes onto to talk about the internet’s role in entrepreneurship and economic growth, painting a dire picture of America’s future as one of the world’s leaders in technology markets should the FCC’s reported plans go into effect. The letter was singed by over 100 internet companies who rely on an open internet their internet for their businesses.
You can read the entire letter as well as check out the full list of signatures via the link below. Scary times we’re living in.