Wednesday, April 10, 2019
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Consumer Reports applauded the U.S. House of Representatives today for passing legislation to restore robust net neutrality rules that were repealed by the Federal Communications Commission last year. The “Save the Internet Act” would reinstate protections that prevent internet service providers (ISPs) from blocking, slowing, or giving paid preferential treatment to any internet content. The bill would also prevent the FCC from reclassifying broadband in the future to weaken these standards, and would restore the Commission’s power to police ISPs in order to prevent future anti-competitive behavior.
Jonathan Schwantes, senior policy counsel for Consumer Reports, said, “This legislation gives consumers exactly what they want and deserve: an internet that is an open marketplace for all, and puts the American people ahead of huge cable companies and internet service providers. Today’s vote shows that legislators, unlike the FCC, are listening to consumers and have heard the millions of Americans who support net neutrality.”
The House passed the Save the Internet Act this morning by a vote of 232-190. Companion legislation awaits consideration in the Senate.
Schwantes said, “Critics complain and mischaracterize net neutrality as a government takeover of the internet. That simply is not true. The only thing this bill attempts to control is the behavior of multi-billion cable companies and ISPs who previously attempted to implement the type of anti-competitive, anti-consumer practices this legislation would prevent. These rules worked well just a few years ago, and despite industry claims, did not result in decreased investment in broadband. We strongly encourage the Senate to take up this important legislation and pass the Save the Internet Act.”
Consumer support for net neutrality rules has remained consistently high, with poll after poll finding bipartisan support for net neutrality rules. A nationally-representative survey by Consumer Reports found the majority of Americans support net neutrality rules to prevent internet service providers from blocking or discriminating against lawful content on the internet, while 67 percent disagree that providers should be able to choose which websites, apps or streaming services customers can access.