Baltimore, MD (November 21, 2017) – The NAACP, the nation’s premier civil rights organization, staunchly opposes the Federal Communication Commission’s plans to eliminate critical safeguards ensuring an accessible internet.
Under the Obama administration, the country made essential steps towards protecting net neutrality, but the FCC’s new proposal announced by Chairman Ajit Pai calls for a set of repeals that would dismantle that progress. The plan would roll back the regulations implemented in 2015 and effectively exempt high-speed broadband internet service from the prohibition against unreasonable discrimination in Title II of the Communications Act. In sum, the plan ignores the importance of high-speed internet service to the well-being and advancement of the nation and puts the interests of wealthy corporations far above American citizens.
“The NAACP resolutely supports an open internet and opposes the FCC’s new plan,” said Derrick Johnson, NAACP president and CEO. “The internet is fundamental to economic opportunity, social action, and innovation in the modern age. It has the power to democratize information, it allows us to communicate instantly and effectively, and in recent years, it has facilitated innovation and been the catalyst for social justice movements. Throughout our 108 year history, the NAACP has fought against discrimination and for justice and equal opportunity for all. We see the fight for net neutrality as an extension of that mission.”
The FCC’s commissioners will vote to formally approve the plan on December 14. The NAACP calls upon the FCC leadership – and the telecom companies whom the plan would effect – to understand net neutrality as a social justice issue and respect the regulations already in place.
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