Attorneys general to sue Trump administration over net neutrality rollback
December 15, 2017
New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman said Wednesday that he’ll lead a multistate lawsuit to stop the rollback of net neutrality.
“The FCC’s vote to rip apart net neutrality is a blow to New York consumers, and to everyone who cares about a free and open internet,” said Schneiderman. “The FCC just gave Big Telecom an early Christmas present, by giving internet service providers yet another way to put corporate profits over consumers.”
Wednesday’s rollback will give ISPs new ways to control what consumers see, do, and say online, he said, adding that’s a threat to the free exchange of ideas that’s made the Internet a valuable asset in the democratic process.
Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson also announced Wednesday that he’ll file a legal challenge to the FCC’s net neutrality decision in the next few days, along with attorneys general across the country.
Ferguson said there’s a strong legal argument that with the FCC’s action the federal government violated the Administrative Procedure Act – again.
"Allowing internet service providers to discriminate based on content undermines a free and open internet,” Ferguson said. “Today’s action will seriously harm consumers, innovation and small businesses.”
The attorneys general of Massachusetts and California also have announced they’ll challenge the overturning of the net neutrality rule and others are also expected to join in the effort. In addition, some state and even local officials say they plan to enact their own net neutrality rules.
Schneiderman also charged that the FCC’s comment process was deeply corrupted, including two million comments that stole people’s identities. For seven months, he investigated fake comments submitted during the net neutrality comment process.
The video above shows Ajit Pai, chair of the FCC, as he mocks the critics of his plan to abolish net neutrality rules on the conservative website The Daily Caller.
I'm waiting for this nightmare to be over. I feel assaulted every day.
Posted by: Rebecca Forstadt Olkowski | December 18, 2017 at 11:53 AM
Hi Rebecca,
Me, too.
Rita
Posted by: Rita | May 06, 2018 at 10:24 PM