No big surprise, but net neutrality activists confirm they plant to protest in person (they say in several hundred persons) Dec. 14 outside FCC headquarters, the site of the planned vote to eliminate most net neutrality regulations.
A couple dozen protestors showed up outside the Federal Communications Bar Association Chairman's dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel last week in Washington chanting slogans and projecting pro net neutrality messages on nearby buildings in advance of chairman Ajit Pai's appearance there.
This week's protest will be led by Free Press, the National Hispanic Media Coalition, Center for Media Justice, Color of Change, 18 Million Rising. An online protest of the vote is scheduled for Tuesday (Dec. 12).
Among those scheduled to show up in person at the commission are Symone Sanders, former Bernie Sanders campaign press secretary; Amanda Seales (HBO’s “Insecure”); Jamilah Lemieux, former EBONY magazine editor; and Democratic Reps. Ro Khanna, Keith Ellison, and Maxine Waters.
The groups say they are protesting because rolling back the regs will allow 'net giants like Comcast and Verizon to "slow down or block access to certain sites based on how much people are able to pay."
ISPs have pledged not to block or throttle access, promises they say can be enforced by the Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department. And while they likely will experiment with paid prioritization models, it would be to speed up (prioritize) for a price--remember that 'no throttling' pledge--like connected car manufacturers getting preference over cat videos when collision avoidance info absolutely, positively has to get there first.
Related: Pai, Others Call Out Hateful Protestors
