Privacy & Security 2 min. read

U.S. Senate votes to overturn FCC’s repeal of net neutrality

U.S. Senate votes to overturn FCC’s repeal of net neutrality

Those of us in favor of a free and open internet for all—with no borders or walls, no fast or slow lanes, no prioritizations to companies with the deepest pockets—can breathe a little easier, at least for now.

The Senate voted to overturn the FCC’s wildly unpopular decision to scrap net neutrality regulation—a law that keeps Internet Service Providers (ISPs) honest and fair—by a vote of 52/47.

As anticipated, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, joined Democrats in voting to overturn the decision, and two other Republicans—Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska—also voted in favor of retaining net neutrality regulation.

This vote comes off the back of a massive appeal for people to contact their lawmakers and join the protest for net neutrality. For our part, we at AnchorFree turned our page red in support, and the message was clearly heard.

However, the battle is not yet over. While the Senate has voted in favor of net neutrality, the House will be a taller challenge. We’re urging everyone to continue contacting policymakers and make their voice heard. Net neutrality—the principle that ISPs must treat all data on the internet equally and not block, throttle, or charge extra for access to it—is vital to protect our right to online freedom.

“Today is a monumental day,” said Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass, after the Senate’s vote to save net neutrality. “The grandparents, the gamers, the gearheads, the geeks, the GIF-makers, the Generations X, Y, and Z. This movement to save net neutrality is made up of every walk of American life.”

While there’s still a long road ahead to keep the internet free from corporate greed, this victory is an important one. While the vote to overturn now heads to the House of Representatives, keep contacting your lawmakers, continue the fight, and demand politicians stand up for your rights.

Photo via Free Press on Flickr Creative Commons

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