S/T
December 14, 2017
Vote on the repeal of the Open Internet Order
 
S/B (English)
AJIT PAI, Chairman
US Federal Communications Commission
 
It’s time for us to act to bring faster, better and cheaper internet access to all Americans. With that, we will call the vote.
 
Commissioner Clyburn:  I dissent
Commissioner O’Rielly: Aye
Commissioner Carr: Aye
Commissioner Rosenworcel: I dissent
 
 
Final result: 3 votes in favour and 2 against.
The Open Internet Order is repealed.
 
 
V/O
But is there any truth in Commissioner Pai’s claims? The Open Internet Order was originally designed to uphold the principle of internet neutrality. It protected consumers’ right to free and equal access to the internet, without interference from service providers. What the repeal of the Order actually means, is that access restrictions imposed by providers such as AT&T, Verizon and Comcast, are now officially supported by law.
 
 
S/B (English)
CHRIS LEWIS, Vice President
“Public Knowledge” Internet Neutrality Organization
 
The FCC (The Federal Communications Commission) has voted to repeal these rules, the ISPs, the companies that give you access to the internet, can block your access to certain services and websites online. They can throttle or slow down your service and they can also set up pay prioritization schemes that allow them to prefer some content, over others based on how companies pay to get access to average consumers.
 
 
V/O
The end of net neutrality triggered protests across the United States. Individuals, along with network giants including Netflix and Google, expressed their opposition to a move that would increase the cost of using the internet. In 2013, Comcast imposed limits on Netflix’s video streaming bandwidth, resulting in a drop of over 25% in average speeds that year; after Netflix agreed to pay an additional access fee in January 2014, within two months video delivery speeds had increased by 66%. Subsequently, however, Netflix increased its monthly subscription by 2 dollars. Not only that, the repeal of the Order allows internet providers to deprive citizens of their right even to access the internet.
 
 
S/B (English)
SYMONE SANDERS, Protester
 
It's like water. Right now in America, you pay a fee, you have open and free access to water. The water company can say, "You can have water in your shower, but if you'd like water in your kitchen that's going to be a little extra fee.
 
 
V/O
The US government isn’t just depriving its citizens of free and equal access to the internet; it’s also invading the privacy of internet users. In April 2017, President Trump signed a revised version of the Online Privacy Protection Act, allowing service providers to track the browsing habits, and personal and financial data, of users, for the purpose of delivering more targeted advertising.
 
S/B (Chinese)
HUANG RIHAN, Researcher
Center for China and Globalization
 
Development of the internet worldwide has been moving in the direction of becoming freer, more open, better and faster in recent years. However, the United States has hijacked the development of the internet in order to support certain interest groups. This new privacy act is designed for selfish interests and commercial profit. The truth is, personal privacy and freedom are being severely violated.
 
 
V/O
In June 2017, the European Union eliminated data roaming charges among its member countries. In March 2018, Premier Li Keqiang pledged to reduce data roaming fees and speed up broadband in China within this year. But while the rest of the world is working to open the internet further, the US government has opted to head in the opposite direction, casting a shadow over the prospects of the internet becoming truly open and free.