Federal court rules against open internet access

Federal regulators do not have the authority to guarantee the American public open access to the internet and media giants do no have to provide uninterrupted access, a federal court said Tuesday.

Both the Oakland Tribune and San Francisco Chronicle ran front page stories about the recent blow to net neutrality. The U.S. District Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia ruled that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) went beyond its authority when it took action against Comcast in 2008 for blocking consumers access to BitTorrent.

The Minister of Information JR interviews Hip Hop journalist Davey D about the issue of net neutrality, and how big corporations like AT&T and Verizon are working with Congresspeople like Bobby Rush to create a situation where the average person will have to pay more money for a workable internet connection.

S. Derek Turner of the consumer advocacy group free press told the Tribune: "The FCC is essentially unable now to protect consumers and implement the national broadband plan."

Markham Erickson, executive director of the Open Internet Coalition told the Chronicle: "Today's D.C. Circuit decision in Comcast creates a dangerous situation, one where the health and openness of broadband Internet is being held hostage by the behavior of the major telco and cable providers."

Keep the Internet Open AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon are making a play to fundamentally change the way the Internet works. If they succeed, we'll all lose. A free and open Internet is critical for our communities to speak in our own voices and to organize and advocate for ourselves. Join ColorofChange.org in calling on the FCC to aggressively re-establish its authority and protect the open nature of the Internet now.

Comcast disagrees. In an emailed statement, spokeswoman Sena Fitzmaurice said, “We are gratified by the court’s decision. Comcast remains committed to the FCC’s existing open Internet principles, and we will continue to work constructively with this FCC."

Megacorporations like Comcast, AT&T and Verizon have been going around making major financial contributions to Black politicians.

In response to the court's decision, the FCC has extended its deadline for comment on net neutrality to April 26. (PDF) The court also released a statement reaffirming its pledge to a open internet and said it was "firmly committed to promoting an open Internet... the Court in no way disagreed with the importance of preserving a free and open Internet; nor did it close the door to other methods for achieving this important end."

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