The Internet Strikes Back: Why the Internet Needs Jedi Knights

[Commentary] On February 17th, all across the country, community leaders and low-income wireless users will make calls asking Congress to vote yes on Internet Freedom and squash the Repeal Act.

The Repeal Act is a bill pursuant to the Congressional Review Act which allows Congress to overturn regulations passed by federal agencies. Opponents of Internet Freedom seek to use the hearing the day before to pressure Congress to overturn the FCC's recently passed net neutrality regulations, and prevent them from taking up the issue in the future. Why is the Repeal Act bad for consumers, innovation, and democracy? Because 2 million people weighed in to say they wanted to be protected by net neutrality rules, the agency charged with governing the Internet voted to pass those rules, and now Congress- urged by incoming GOP chairs of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, Greg Walden (R-Ore.) and Lee Terry (R-Neb.), together with Rep. Upton- is trying to bypass all of that to try and eliminate them. This call to action comes from Public Knowledge, a public interest organization in DC focused on protecting the rights of media makers and consumers. Public Knowledge is joined by the Media Action Grassroots Network, a Center for Media Justice network of community organizations dedicated to changing media conditions to eliminate racism and poverty.