The internet has been one of the defining technological developments of the twenty first century. Creating a fair and level playing field for anyone to broadcast and spread information and services, the internet has become a vital asset to our free speech and action. The equal accessibility of all public websites — from the New York Times and Netflix down to a random blogger on WordPress — is key to what makes the internet an invaluable platform to be able to voice your opinion or build your service, regardless of how much money you have.
Unsurprisingly, due to the unbiased nature of the platform, the internet has been the primary amplifier of minority voices. The Black Lives Matter movement, since its conception and its propagation by a highly influential hashtag, has been able to redefine how the media and politics view police brutality in America. It has amplified the voices of thousands of African Americans through platforms like Twitter and Facebook. Their voices would have otherwise not been heard. African Americans prior to the BLM movement in 2011 accounted for only 4.68 percent in newsrooms — a percentage that is significantly lower than the share of African Americans in the United States. If the internet wasn’t a free and equal tool for people without the backing of prominent and moneyed institutions, the Black Lives Matter movement, and hundreds of others (like the Arab Spring), would not have been able to cement themselves in popular discourse to the extent that they did.
So when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) repeals net neutrality, it risks taking away the free access and use of the internet — in the process dampening or completely hindering the amplification of these social and political movements. Net neutrality mandated under Obama’s administration did not allow internet service providers like AT&T and Verizon from blocking, slowing down or placing charges on the public’s access to websites. The ACLU has been a vocal opponent of the FCC’s intention to repeal net neutrality. The director of strategic initiatives, Ronald Newman stating that:
“In a world without net neutrality, activists may lose an essential platform to organize and fight for change, and small organizations may never get a fair shot to grow and thrive. Congress must stop Chairman Pai’s plan in its tracks and ensure that net neutrality remains the law of the land.”
The threats against activists aren’t just exaggerated and unfounded claims; telecom companies have previously tried to stifle abortion right campaigns. Back in 2007, Verizon did not allow Naral Pro-Choice America, an abortion rights group, from using the service to spread their message using text messages, citing the messages to be “unsavory” to them. At that time, this caused quite a bit of opposition, with the public bringing up an argument for net neutrality that wasn’t legally put into play at the time.
The internet has now made an indelible mark on the sphere of social activism. The Trump Administration’s insistence on abolishing the guidelines on net neutrality, and in the process empowering billion-dollar businesses like AT&T and Verizon over the common people, is a threat to free speech on the internet as we know it. The internet has empowered our generation with information and the ability to initiate social change. We must protect our right to a free and equal internet. Follow the short instruction on the ACLU website to call your local congressmen is a great way to start.
Photo Credit: RENEE JONES SCHNEIDER, STAR TRIBUNE
