The FCC has proposed an end to net neutrality, meaning the possible end of a free and open internet. Under net neutrality rules, the FCC requires internet service providers like Comcast and AT&T to give equal footing to all websites and internet services.
Like last time, the FCC has opened up a forum for commenting on their proposal.
Comments will be open until July 18, and replies to comments are due by August 16. So far, there are five million comments.To file a comment, visit this link. Click on “Express” to add a comment and click on “New Filing” to upload documents.
Gigi Sohn, a former FCC counselor, gave advice for commenting in a Mashable post. In addition to serving as a counselor to former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, Sohn co-founded Public Knowledge, a non-profit advocating for equal competition.
Of course, there are templates that you can use to comment, but original, thoughtful comments can help make a stronger case for keeping net neutrality rules and help experts argue for it in an inevitable legal case against the repeal. Posts that say things like “Net neutrality is bad :(” under the name “John Oliver” hold a lot less weight than posts that make a strong, detailed case against it.
Already commented and don’t feel like you nailed it? You can comment again. “Over the course of a proceeding like this, companies and organizations on both sides of the debate will file many comments, including after they visit FCC Commissioners and staff to make their cases,” wrote Sohn.
Below are some tips Sohn has on making your comment matter.
1. Make it personal
Write about how net neutrality personally affects you. “Maybe you are an entrepreneur who sells craft chocolates and coffee and could never compete if Godiva and Starbucks paid for faster carriage. Perhaps you sell crafts on Etsy, which would never have caught the public’s eye if ISPs could favor Amazon or eBay for any reason,” wrote Sohn in her post.
But the…
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