Today
will go down in history as the day we won real protections for net
neutrality, and I want to thank you personally for playing an essential
role in this victory.
After a long campaign, this morning the FCC voted for what we demanded, and what a few big cable companies did not want: strong, enforceable net neutrality rules based on classifying broadband as a Title II communications service. Huge sums were spent lobbying Congress to try to limit what we can create and build and do online. Because you answered the call to take action, we accomplished what seemed impossible: we stood together, took on the goliaths, and won. We've created a special way to celebrate this victory. Click here for your own #wontheInternet image to use for your Facebook profile photo today (and for a Twitter version click here). This was no small feat. It was the biggest show of public engagement the FCC had ever seen -- a mass movement of historic proportions. Millions of public comments flooded Washington on this issue. By banding together, we've helped to keep the Web open and accessible for everyone, equally. What's next? We've known all along that cable companies would turn to the courts if they lost with the FCC, and that's exactly what they're preparing to do, but they likely have a very difficult road ahead. The President himself spoke in favor of strong rules to protect net neutrality. The FCC chairman, a former cable and wireless industry lobbyist, led the FCC to a vote on the rules we asked for. And anti-net neutrality bills in Congress have fizzled. We have built a powerful and unified grassroots movement, and we aren't going anywhere. We all know this won't be the last time we will need to join together to protect the Web from those that want to control it. With the net neutrality fight underway in the European Union, this victory in the U.S. will hopefully boost efforts there. Mozilla's policy experts are also keeping an eye on legislation about surveillance, privacy, and online safety and security just on the horizon. A handful of growing empires will no doubt try again to take more control of what is possible and what is imaginable on the Web. I hope we can call on you to stand with us when the time comes. Strength in numbers -- that's how we win. Today we celebrate -- click here to get a special photo to use for your Facebook profile to help commemorate this awesome victory. Thanks again for your work to make today's outcome possible and for all that you do to protect the open Web. Mark Mark Surman Executive Director |
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