Reddit, Amazon Push For 'Day Of Action' On July 12 To Protest The Killing Of Net Neutrality
from the something-vaguely-resembling-accountability dept
So as we've been noting, a lot of people remain under the impression that companies like Google and Netflix still support net neutrality, and they'll be rushing in any moment now to help thwart the FCC's latest attempt to kill the rules. In reality, Techdirt readers know that Google hasn't actually supported net neutrality since around 2010 or so. Netflix, also perceived as a consumer ally on the subject, made it clear recently that it no longer sees the need to fight for net neutrality now that it's an international video powerhouse. The company's shift from disruption engines to slightly myopic legacy turf protectors should surprise nobody.
That said, Google and Netflix's departure from the conversation left many net neutrality advocates wondering if any bigger companies would be willing to lend a hand in the latest chapter in the debate. Amazon managed to answer that question this week by throwing its weight behind a July 12 "Day of Action" being coordinated by consumer advocacy group Fight For the Future. According to the group's website, Amazon will join Reddit, Etsy, the ACLU, California ISP Sonic, Mozilla, Kickstarter, BitTorrent, Github and Vimeo for a day of protest -- both online and off -- against the FCC's plan to gut the popular consumer protections.
The plan appears to be to mirror the Internet Slowdown Day back in 2014. You'll recall that that effort, which involved numerous major websites warning their visitors about the threat to net neutrality via site banners, helped convince Tom Wheeler to stop half-assing things, and classify ISPs as common carriers under Title II of the Communications Act (giving them the adequate legal authority to enforce the rules). His decision was subsequently supported by the courts.
The problem, of course, is that Tom Wheeler was a bit of a rare bird in technology government policy circles. In that when presented with quality evidence that conflicted with his world view, he was actually willing to change his position and do the right thing -- even in the face of giant ISP lobbying pressure. It's part of the reason that Wheeler went from dingo to internet hero in relatively short order, breaking free of a long line of timid, bipartisan telecom industry sycophants heading the agency. There's zero indication so far that new FCC boss Ajit Pai has any of the qualities that made Wheeler popular.
Still, the companies and consumer advocacy firms hope the effort can still generate something vaguely resembling SOPA-esque accountability for Pai's plan to ignore the public interest and kill the rules:
"The effort is led by many of the grassroots organizations who have organized the largest online protests in history including the SOPA blackout and the Internet Slowdown," notes Fight the Future. "The day of action will focus on grassroots mobilization, with public interest groups activating their members and major web platforms providing their visitors with tools to contact Congress and the FCC."
The FCC is fielding comments on its plans to kill net neutrality until August 18, ahead of a finalizing vote to kill the rules later this year.
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Filed Under: broadband, day of action, net neutrality
Companies: aclu, amazon, bittorrent, etsy, fight for the future, github, kickstarter, mozilla, reddit, sonic, vimeo
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What else is Techdirt doing, besides words?
What specific actions?
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Re: What else is Techdirt doing, besides words?
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what's next? nytimes for truth?
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It's sad when hypocrites are leading the charge, but it is typical these days.
Where is that basket at?
Which one?
The one going to hell!
Why?
I want in it!
Why?
Because everyone else is in it... dUh?!?
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thinking it's their catholic "purgatory" he's now sleeping peacefully
in a small, protected Hell precinct called "paradise" or "bosom
of Abraham".
The protection? Hell is where Satan "roams as a roaring lion,
seeking whom he may devour." He may not rule there, but
only "paradise" protects it's inhabitants from that desperately
cranky loser, and that chief got the courtesy simply by being
murdered by those antichristians on the basis of their religion.
Here endeth a lesson in scriptural obscurities… ;]
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I'll bite. What does that have to do with net neutrality?
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I wonder if NetFlix is going to get GoDaddied
The most obvious target being Netflix, because of their CEO's speech about Net Neutrality, and how they look like hypocrites now. I've seen a number of people at reddit talking about canceling their netflix subscriptions over it.
GoDaddy backed down from their SOPA backing from a scheduled day to leave GoDaddy, the same could happen to NetFlix and potentially other tech/web companies.
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Boycott Netflix.
Your ancestors shed their blood for a better world. The least you can do is use a different app.
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I may be a "small bird", but...
Due to my role as indie dev, my tweets will be mostly in conjunction with what will happen to indie devs if net neutrality will be repelled.
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I TOLD YOU SO!!!
I'm not exactly clear on when I told you, or what "this" I am referring to, or who "you all" are that I am addressing. But I'm damn sure of one thing: I definitely told you all this would happen!
Every nation Eats the paint chips it Deserves!
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Re: I TOLD YOU SO!!!
You are a poster boy for your own slogan. Well done!
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Re: I TOLD YOU SO!!!
every nation drinks the leaded water it deserves.
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Hate to think this way
When was the last time you remember a majority of Republicans supported consumers over Big Business? And don't tell me repealing Obama Care.
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Re: Hate to think this way
When they got a bunch of angry calls about SOPA.
I agree that Pai doesn't give a fuck what the public thinks. But he's not up for reelection in 17 months.
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Re: Hate to think this way
Not sure who is calling me out for what, so I guess I'll get an account so it's not so ambiguous anymore.
I work with alphabet soup agencies, so I really hate to tie myself to "things". I don't like the way they think and I don't like the kind of conclusions they draw from the most trivial of "evidence".
Look, I don't want to say all I think because 99.9999 percent will tell me that my tin foil hat is too tight and I should loosen it so the blood can circulate.
I wish I had the confidence that would take. Unfortunately, I see the sausage being made. I know what goes into the grinder. "If you see what I see, if you know what I know..."
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At this point I think the best solution, given it's impossible to tell the difference and the 'real' one is always chiding people for falling for the 'fake', is to assume that anyone posting under the name is the 'fake' and just ignore them.
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Actually, I'm pretty sure I've seen at least one article where both of them (distinguished by snowflake-image) were calling the other one out as fake.
I'm starting to wonder whether they're really just one person posting from two separate places in order to create plausible deniability and add to the confusion. I'm not at all convinced of that, you understand, but the possibility has raised itself in my mind.
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