How to Comment on the FCC’s Proposal to Destroy Net Neutrality
The FCC has made public its plans to destroy net neutrality , and that’s not good for consumers . However, the good news is, just like last time , the FCC is putting the proposal up for public comment.
Back in 2014, when the FCC opened comments on its net neutrality plans, people flocked to the site in droves, smashing it before eventually submitting nearly 4 million comments . Cause? Most consumer advocates and technicians think net neutrality is a good thing . We’ve covered this topic a lot over the years , but the fastest and easiest version is that net neutrality ensures that all sites on the Internet are treated the same, ISPs are fairly regulated, and no site, app or service can be blocked or pay for preferential treatment.
Just like last time, you can comment on net neutrality using the same old archaic and weird FCC comment system, but this time it should have an internals to support a ton of traffic. This commentary process will take place in two waves. Right now, you can comment on the draft proposal, which has many questions about how the final proposal should be framed. The second cycle of comments will concern the official proposal, will begin after May 18 and will last for three months. You should be able to comment on both. Here’s how to do it now:
- Go to the list of suggestions for Restoring Internet Freedom (you can also search Docket 17-108), which is arguably the most ridiculously self-serving and phony headline we’ve ever seen.
- Most of us can just click “+ Express” on the left sidebar. You will be taken to a simplified submission form. If you would like to send additional information such as attachments and images, use the “+ New Archive” option.
- Fill out the form and click “Continue Viewing Screen” when finished. Review your comment and submit it. You will need to provide your name, home address and telephone number. All of this will be publicly available. This is just part of the deal.
If you would like to see the full draft of the proposal, you can find it here . If you’re looking for additional reading before commenting, Gizmodo breaks down some of the lies from the speech, Ars Technica delves into some of them as well, and The Washington Post covers some of the political considerations of all of this . If you’re curious about one of the more bizarre ideas in the new offering, Ars Technica shares how the FCC believes throttling will really help consumers . Overall, the draft proposal clearly aims to help broadband providers by asking if it’s cool if ISPs charge websites for faster access to consumers, and if it’s okay for broadband companies to hide certain fees and data limits ( that’s in section 89 if you’re tracking).
The argument here, if you’re wondering, is that the FCC believes the broadband market is so competitive that there is no need to require them to disclose hidden fees beyond what is required by the 2010 transparency rule . It looks like it is mainly due to broadband speed issues, including congestion issues (like when you throttle). A 2015 change referred to in a new FCC filing requires vendors to specifically disclose actual download speeds , among other things mainly related to transparency.
Once you read and form your opinion, go ahead and comment. If you’re not sure exactly what to say, the 2014 Gizmodo guidelines still apply , but the basic idea is to keep it simple and talk about specific paragraphs of the FCC proposal if necessary. Discuss why you think net neutrality is important, why the last sentence doesn’t work for you, and what concerns you might have anyway.