In Federal Communications Commissioner Mignon Clyburn’s dissent from the lifting of Title II regulation on internet service providers, she called her statement a “eulogy.”
Twitter users alternately cheered and mourned the end of net neutrality, which was put in place under the Obama administration and lasted just two years before being lifted by a party-line, 3-2 vote at the FCC yesterday.
Clyburn said that, among other things, the FCC was ‘[pulling] its own teeth.”
My statement opposing the @FCC majority's repeal of #NetNeutrality.
Read here: https://t.co/qQ9ut15FkI pic.twitter.com/0Ik9y27jGX
— Mignon Clyburn (@MignonClyburn) December 14, 2017
On the other side, Chairman Ajit Pai is dancing:
What will you be able to do on the Internet after the @FCC repeals utility-style Internet regulations tomorrow? Everything. Here are a few examples. https://t.co/0P96Bp0xpP
— Ajit Pai (@AjitPai) December 13, 2017
(Which, side-note, apparently landed him in hot water:)
https://twitter.com/ceciliakang/status/941698705119473665
.@BrendanCarrFCC: "I am proud to help end this two-year experiment with heavy-handed regulation–this massive regulatory overreach."#FCCLive
— Evan Swarztrauber ⚾ (@SayreEvan) December 14, 2017
Former FTC head says everybody should just calm down:
President Obama's first Federal Trade Commission Chairman on @ajitpaifcc's plan to restore Internet freedom: "Consumers will remain protected, and the internet will continue to thrive." https://t.co/WKWvDH4C1t
— Matthew Berry (@MatthewBerryDC) December 13, 2017
Predictably, ISPs were pleased with the news. Amazon, Facebook and Netflix were among the large tech companies who were not.
The vote to roll back #netneutrality rules was slammed by tech giants like Amazon, Facebook and Netflix.
It was applauded by internet service providers. https://t.co/JcYvwC5rAV pic.twitter.com/0VbY915xNW
— CNN (@CNN) December 15, 2017
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 (@netflix) December 14, 2017
Meanwhile, wireless industry trade groups were generally pleased:
At #FCCOpenMtg, @AjitPaiFCC says the Restoring Internet Freedom Order will promote #wireless competition pic.twitter.com/lFvItB5gLy
— CTIA (@CTIA) December 14, 2017
With some possible caveats from industry experts:
Long term impact of yesterday
One view belowI am concerned that @FCC will become hyperpartisan and will further slow the already low productivity on nonpartisan #spectrum issues NOT pushed by NAB or @CTIA even if they don't conflict with megagroupshttps://t.co/dWy98mEI9P https://t.co/IkCmSdUDQc
— Michael Marcus (@MarcusSpecSoln) December 15, 2017
Sen. Ted Cruz did a bit of trolling:
Snowflake, believing online propaganda: "OMG w/o net neutrality, the Internet is gone!" Informed observer: "You know, the FCC issued that rule in 2015. The Internet grew up wonderfully free from govt regulation & this restores the status quo ante." Snowflake: "Uh, never mind…"
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) December 15, 2017
House Speaker Paul Ryan says throwing open access enforcement to the FTC was the right call:
This is the right call by @AjitPaiFCC and the @FCC. The way to keep the internet free and open and protect consumers is to crack down on internet service providers that would abuse open access. https://t.co/5kxwSZGJzt pic.twitter.com/oIiwSvKqbh
— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) December 14, 2017
Donald Trump Jr. weighed in (and was promptly informed that Pai was nominated to his chairmanship by Trump’s father):
I would pay good money to see all those people complaining about Obama’s FCC chairman voting to repeal #NetNeutality actually explain it in detail. I’d also bet most hadn’t heard of it before this week. #outrage
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) December 15, 2017
And other Twitter uses responded with bleak humor, or (gasp) some introspection:
https://twitter.com/TimFederle/status/941387206316511232
https://twitter.com/NasMaraj/status/941383640700858368
Us: “How is twitter free? I’d pay for this shit”
FCC: “K”
Us: “Nah wait, i was just joking”
FCC: “bet.”
— mac (@MacDoesIt) December 14, 2017
Just googled “net neutrality”…yeah, we gotta keep that.
— SHELLEY fka DRAM (@shelleysaid) December 8, 2017
One of the clearer signs that the FCC’s rationale is rubbish is the talking point about how dismantling Net Neutrality will be good for “innovation.”
A term which has been used so often, and with so little historical perspective, as to make it meaningless.
— Librarianshipwreck (@libshipwreck) December 15, 2017
But is the battle over? Nope. A number of states promptly announced their intent to sue over the regulatory change, and Senator Ed Markey said he planned to introduce congressional action to reverse it.
Long day. Late night. Feeling tired. But also inspired. Today was a setback for #NetNeutrality but the fight continues. In the courts. In Congress. Will keep on making noise & raising a ruckus. I hope everyone who has reached out to me over the past days & weeks will do so, too.
— Jessica Rosenworcel (@JRosenworcel) December 15, 2017
Several states have already announced lawsuits against the FCC to preserve #NetNeutrality regulations https://t.co/IpQTHHliEz
— WIRED (@WIRED) December 15, 2017
I plan to introduce a Congressional Review Act resolution that would restore the Open Internet Order and reverse the @FCC’s historic mistake of repealing #NetNeutrality. This fight is far from over. pic.twitter.com/FTyqf1U83X
— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) December 14, 2017
Or, in short:
The political dumpster fire of #NetNeutrality is just heating up https://t.co/oQv3DdPFBI pic.twitter.com/ukRz46vTG6
— Fast Company (@FastCompany) December 15, 2017
