Netflix, Chris Evans, more speak out against FCC vote to repeal net neutrality
The Federal Communications Commision, headed by President Trump’s chairman pick Ajit Pai, voted 3-2 on Thursday to repeal Obama-era net neutrality protections. Celebrities, as well as politicians and Netflix, spoke out across social media to denounce the decision.
“We’re disappointed in the decision to gut #NetNeutrality protections that ushered in an unprecedented era of innovation, creativity & civic engagement,” a statement from Netflix read. “This is the beginning of a longer legal battle. Netflix stands w/ innovators, large & small, to oppose this misguided FCC order.”
“EVERYONE should care about this,” Captain America actor Chris Evans tweeted. “It benefits no one unless you’re a faceless, mega corporation. NOBODY is asking for it.”
Carrie Coon (The Leftovers) called the announcement “bad news,” while House of Cards creator Beau Willimon tweeted how “generations who haven’t been born yet will look back and be grateful for the millions who fought to save our country from those driven purely by shameless greed.”
We’re disappointed in the decision to gut #NetNeutrality protections that ushered in an unprecedented era of innovation, creativity & civic engagement. This is the beginning of a longer legal battle. Netflix stands w/ innovators, large & small, to oppose this misguided FCC order.
— Netflix US (@netflix) December 14, 2017
EVERYONE should care about this! It benefits no one unless you’re a faceless, mega corporation. NOBODY is asking for it. https://t.co/d2fBjPe7mX
— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) December 14, 2017
Bad news today. https://t.co/SjVYo6m20g
— Carrie Coon (@carriecoon) December 14, 2017
Generations that haven't been born yet will look back and be grateful for the millions who fought to save our country from those driven purely by shameless greed. They will be grateful for the love & empathy which prevailed. You are among the millions they will be grateful for.
— Beau Willimon (@BeauWillimon) December 14, 2017
Others — including Jeffrey Wright (Westworld), Asia Kate Dillon (Billions), and Orlando Jones (American Gods) — began retweeting statements from politicians and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in response.
This. https://t.co/knoFCIUUtB
— Khary Payton (@kharypayton) December 14, 2017
BREAKING: The FCC just voted to dismantle #netneutrality. This represents a radical departure that risks erosion of the biggest free speech platform the world has ever known.
— ACLU (@ACLU) December 14, 2017
FACT CHECK: The FCC is not just reversing an Obama-era order. It is reversing policies that have been in place since the dial-up era. #NetNeutrality
— ACLU (@ACLU) December 14, 2017
Net neutrality, which was partially approved in 2010 and expanded upon in 2015, is the idea that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) — like Verizon and Comcast — cannot block access to or discriminate against individual websites. The laws encouraged ISPs to treat all sites equally, allowing consumers the same access speed and availability to all websites. Without them, there lies the potential for providers to charge different companies — like Netflix or Amazon — to improve the performance of its sites.
The problem is that many Americans don’t have access to multiple providers. This is what many experts, politicians, free speech advocates, and companies argued when publicly opposing the repeal of net neutrality. It’s no surprise, too, that Verizon was one of the companies supporting the repeal efforts.
Pai, a former general counsel for Verizon, has long tried to dismantle net neutrality. As chairman of the FCC, he referred to net neutrality as “heavy-handed government regulation” and its repeal an order for “restoring internet freedom.”
“The internet wasn’t broken in 2015,” Pai argued in his remarks made on Thursday. “We weren’t living in a digital dystopia. To the contrary, the internet is perhaps the one thing in American society we can all agree has been a stunning success.”
But, as the Mr. Robot Twitter account wrote, “The fight isn’t over.” Some, including New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, promised to sue to stop the FCC from rolling back these protections.
This fight isn’t over. #NetNeutrality
— Mr. Robot (@whoismrrobot) December 14, 2017
According to a recent poll from the University of Maryland, 83 percent of voters supported the existing net neutrality laws.
“Today the FCC voted along party lines to repeal net neutrality. It is outrageous that they ruled in favor of multi-billion-dollar broadband companies over the interests of consumers,” California Senator Kamala Harris tweeted. “Americans deserve a fair and open internet.”
Today the FCC voted along party lines to repeal net neutrality. It is outrageous that they ruled in favor of multi-billion-dollar broadband companies over the interests of consumers. Americans deserve a fair and open internet. https://t.co/hBYwVgo7JK
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) December 14, 2017
See more reactions from celebrities and politicians below, including from FCC’s Jessica Rosenworcel, who tweeted the repeal decision “shows enormous contempt for public opinion.”
There is no shortage of people who believe Washington is not listening to their concerns, their fears, their desires. Add the @FCC to the list.
Today's decision to roll back #NetNeutrality is wrong and shows enormous contempt for public opinion.
I dissent.— Jessica Rosenworcel (@JRosenworcel) December 14, 2017
What we have come to know by this move from the FCC is that @AjitPaiFCC is a rogue player. He has acted against the will of a major majority of the American people, left, right and center. He has financial conflicts of interest. He has flouted due process. He’s lost credibility. https://t.co/LgpBLBr9Yy
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) December 14, 2017
I predict @AjitPaiFCC will go to prison for obstruction of justice in the NY attorney general's investigation of millions of fake comments that were published on the FCC website. #NetNeutrality
— Chance The Rapper (@ChanceFrom79th) December 14, 2017
This is an egregious attack on our democracy. The end of #NetNeutrality protections means that the internet will be for sale to the highest bidder. When our democratic institutions are already in peril, we must do everything we can to stop this decision from taking effect. https://t.co/8GGrJFMdrU
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) December 14, 2017
The FCC just voted to repeal #NetNeutrality. We must do everything we can to stop this egregious decision from taking effect. pic.twitter.com/liINH8UGh6
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) December 14, 2017
Over the objections of 83% of Americans, the @FCC has voted to gift control of the internet to natural monopoly corporations. https://t.co/lq5RLXyPXn
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) December 14, 2017
"The FCC is handing the keys to the internet to a handful of multi-billion corporations." -Commissioner Clybourn #NetNeutrality #SAVENETNEUTRALITY #TrumpBrokeTheInternet #AjitBrokeTheInternet
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) December 14, 2017
The FCC just made a horrendous decision to repeal #NetNeutrality
BUT... the decision has not taken immediate effect and the fight is NOT OVER!
US citizens, YOU can can keep the pressure on Congress to overrule the decision!
It takes seconds: https://t.co/DGlHrxEvzr— Will Poulter (@PoulterWill) December 14, 2017
The dismantling of #NetNeutrality isn't ALL BAD. I've listed several of the positives below:
1. Without Net Neutrality people can -*-* [Access the rest of this tweet by upgrading your account with the 'James Willems Jokes Pass' for only $10.99/month!] -*-*— James Willems (@JamesWillems) December 14, 2017
Leaked image of Ajit Pai after the #NetNeutrality vote. pic.twitter.com/QO5KGMycUh
— Chris Stuckmann (@Chris_Stuckmann) December 14, 2017
If you have live in a district where your representative doesn't support #NetNeutrality, call them. If they don't listen. #Vote them out.
— Will Roland (@will_roland) December 14, 2017
#RIP #NetNeutrality But I gotta say, the speed with which the @GOP is systematically ruining our world is downright impressive.
— Aaron Ginsburg (@DrLawyercop) December 14, 2017
Welcome to crumbling America. Another day, another horrible decision. #NetNeutrality
— Andrew Matarazzo (@andrewmatarazzo) December 14, 2017
2014: How is this app free?
2015: How is this app free?
2016: How is this app free?
2017: How is this app free?
2018: How is this a--(Your Twitter character balance is $0.00, please deposit more bitcoin to complete this tweet)#NetNeutrality— Grayson Hunter Goss (@GraysonHunterG) December 14, 2017
I will sue to stop the FCC’s illegal rollback of #netneutrality. New Yorkers and all Americans deserve a free and open internet. pic.twitter.com/BNW7TDsp4z
— Eric Schneiderman (@AGSchneiderman) December 14, 2017
Ajit Pai worked for Sessions and Brownback. Mike O’Rielly worked for Cornyn and Kyl. Brendon Carr worked as Ajit Pai’s General Counsel. The current composition of the FCC is a result of us losing the election. #netneutrality has to become a voting issue.
— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) December 14, 2017
Four massive telecom corporations—Comcast, Verizon, AT&T and Charter—control 76% of broadband access, and lobbied heavily to repeal #NetNeutrality. This isn't over. We can't let giant monopolies get away with taking away our freedoms for their own profit. https://t.co/rSnOVXjqkz
— Rep. Keith Ellison (@keithellison) December 14, 2017
The Trump administration lets down internet-users worldwide by scrapping #netneutrality This decision is a historic mistake, we need a level playing field, more fair competition on the open internet, more protection of consumers and more freedom of speech online!
— Marietje Schaake (@MarietjeSchaake) December 14, 2017