Today, the Federal Communications Commission announced its proposal to repeal the 2015 Open Internet Order that established protections for net neutrality. This development is especially urgent considering the impending holidays as they may affect awareness and coverage of the issue. As librarians, archivists, and information workers, net neutrality affects our freedom “to provide innovative new kinds of information services [that] will be central to the growth and development of our democratic culture” (in the words of ALA on this issue).
As the IS department’s resident student group dedicated to digital rights, we wanted to make sure our colleagues were aware of today’s news and what tools are available to join us in defending net neutrality. Some links we were able to (very!) quickly collect in our weekly lab hour are below.
We recommend the following links to join us in contacting your congressman:
EFF Action: Email your representatives about FCC’s 2015 Open Internet Order
5 Calls: Use this script to call FCC Chairman, Ajit Pai
Specific information for librarians and archivists:
ALA: Why Does Net Neutrality Matter to Libraries?
District Dispatch: Net Neutrality at the end of 2017: What libraries need to know.
ALA: ALA condemns FCC vote to undermine net neutrality protections, vows to defend open internet
Concerned Archivists Alliance: Net Neutrality: Join the Fight
EDUCAUSE Review: Higher Ed/Libraries Re-Release Net Neutrality Principles
Recommended articles about today’s action:
EFF: Today—and Every Day—We Fight to Defend the Open Internet
The Verge: FCC is expected to unveil its plan to destroy net neutrality during Thanksgiving week
Wired: FCC Plans to Gut Net Neutrality, Allow Internet ‘Fast Lanes’
Bloomberg: Net Neutrality Is Fiction, No Matter What FCC Does
Washington Post: AP Explains: What is net neutrality and why does it matter?