Netpolicy/Net neutrality
From MozillaWiki
The open Internet is at the center of our economy and our daily lives. Net neutrality is the principle that all communications on the Internet should be treated equally, and not blocked, throttled, or prioritized for commercial gain.
Background
- Net neutrality: Wikipedia description
- In the United States, the FCC adopted rules to protect net neutrality in 2010, which in January 2014 were struck down by the D.C. Circuit. In February 2015, the FCC adopted new, better rules grounded in common carrier authority.
- The European Parliament passed strong net neutrality rules in April, 2014, and the European Commission followed with a different proposal; these along with a forthcoming Council proposal will be compared and negotiated in 2015.
- Brazil followed several other countries in Latin America and adopted net neutrality through its passage of Marco Civil.
Mozilla history on NN
- Mitchell Baker and John Lilly wrote in the Wall Street Journal in 2009 laying out the fundamental importance of net neutrality for the Internet and entrepreneurship.
- In 2010, Mozilla filed comments with the FCC as it developed rules to protect the Open Internet.
- In January 2014, when the D.C. Circuit sent down the FCC's open Internet order, Mozilla called it "alarming for all Internet users."
- Mozilla has also actively supported net neutrality advocacy in Colombia and in Brazil.
- In May 2014, Mozilla submitted a request to the FCC to adopt real net neutrality protections, relying on Title II of the Communications Act to overcome the legal obstacles put in place by the January D.C. Circuit decision. For more: Mozilla Open Policy blog post
- In July and September 2014, Mozilla submitted comments to the FCC in support of net neutrality.
- Through 2014 and early 2015, Mozilla organized a broad campaign across multiple outreach channels to mobilize grassroots support for net neutrality. In February 2015, we declared victory for these efforts.
The evolution to Title II
- Mozilla has always maintained that the open Internet needs enforceable, effective net neutrality rules, and that Title II authority is needed in the U.S. for the FCC to achieve that goal. So when President Obama announced his support for reclassification in November 2014, we cheered the move.
- We believe this is our moment to save the Internet as we know it.
Resources