Love Streaming? Then Don’t Let Distraction Doom Net Neutrality Legislation

In part, the Congressional urgency to act on network neutrality is being driven by INCOMPAS’s strong day in court earlier in 2019. We are petitioners, along with leading consumer groups and states, in the legal fight to overturn the Federal Communications Commission’s controversial decision to end decades of bipartisan net neutrality policy. As we near some critical votes in Congress, it’s crucial not to be distracted or confused by the big Internet service provider’s attempts to muddy the waters on net neutrality. Here’s what to look out for:

• Net neutrality light? That isn’t Right: pushing net neutrality light is just enabling more cable wrong.
• Broken Promises: The FCC’s decision to repeal net neutrality relied heavily on the belief that we should just trust ISPs to do the right thing. 
• Beware the Dangerous Distraction: Stuck with a losing hand, ISP supporters have turned to a classic Washington tactic: distraction. The most ridiculous argument? Lamenting that there are “different rules” for ISPs and edge provider So let’s clear this up once and for all. How you access the internet and how you customize what you do once you get there are two very, very different things.

[Chip Pickering is CEO of INCOMPAS, a trade group which represents competitive carriers and some edge providers]