The FCC Just Repealed Net Neutrality and Eff’d Us All

ByJayme Kennedy

In a move that will literally fuck everyone over, the Federal Communications Commission just voted to repeal net neutrality rules. The rules, put into place by the Obama administration in 2015, kept the internet open and fair for everyone. And we all know this administration doesn’t give a shit about fairness.

Net neutrality rules kept internet providers from charging more based on use or services. So say goodbye to your flat-rate monthly fee for internet! The rules also banned cable and telecom companies from messing with access and speeds for certain websites or apps.

The repeal means that providers, like AT&T and Verizon, can charge customers more based on how they use the internet. They can also adjust loading speeds for certain websites or apps. So basically, if your provider offers a streaming service and you use Netflix, they can slow your shit down to a crawl.

The FCC did uphold one of the original requirements of the 2015 rules: providers have to disclose what, exactly, they’re doing to web traffic. “Hey suckers, we’re gonna make it impossible to load Twitter, but here’s your warning!” Thanks, assholes.

There have been widespread protests and calls to action regarding the vote, but all of our collective outrage fell on deaf ears. One of the scariest things about the repeal is how much power huge corporations will have over what we see and don’t see. We’ve seen in recent months how much change we can affect with grassroots efforts in elections and voter drives. Kiss all that goodbye.

Social media reaction was obviously dismayed. May as well get our shit out there while we still can.

The fight to save net neutrality isn’t over just yet, although we face an uphill battle.

If you’re concerned about net neutrality (AND YOU SHOULD BE), there are still actions you can take. Call (202) 224-3121, and connect with the office of your senator. And then bitch their asses out for letting this happen.

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(Image: Twitter/NPR)

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