Category: Take Action
2017 Law Promotes Media Literacy for students in WA Schools
On Thursday, April 20, our bill became a law! Governor Jay Inslee signed it with AME representatives Barbara Johnson, Nick Pernisco and Marilyn Cohen present. The law will go into effect on July 23.
This bill, ESSB 5449, is a follow up to SSB 6273. That bill made us the first state in the country to pass media literacy legislation, making Washington the model state. Read more about our success passing SSB 6273 here.
Now media literacy legislation has moved still another step forward in Washington with the passage of a second bill ESSB 5449 in 2017.
In speaking with the group, Governor Inslee noted how this bill was addressing an important subject.
Multiple news articles have come out to coverage the passing of this bill:
- King 5: New law promotes digital citizenship for students
- U.S. News: New Law Promotes Media Literacy, Internet Safety in Schools
- KEPR TV: New law promotes media literacy, internet safety in school curriculum
View images from the bill signing below.
What is media literacy?
Media literacy is the practice of critically evaluating, creating, and or using media. To be media literate, one must be aware of the influence media has on them and apply this knowledge by taking an active stance towards consuming and creating media.
About media literacy:
What is Media Literacy Education? Media Literacy is defined as the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and produce communication in a variety of forms.
So does media literacy mean just TV and music, or does it include the internet and social media? Yes, absolutely. It applies to social media and user-generated content. When students log on to send messages or post photos and videos, they are becoming producers of media, not just consumers. By actively participating online, they are essentially joining a global conversation. Critical thinking skills must be applied to both the messages they are sending out to the world as well as those they receive back . An understanding of the Key Questions for Producers and Consumers will enable them to make wise choices and engage more fully as online citizens.
Does media literacy include online safety? Yes, media literacy is an umbrella term for teaching children the skills to be active and safe participants with media of all types. The critical thinking skills required to become media literate can be applied to any message from any medium. In other words, it does not make a difference if the message comes from social media, television, websites, videogames, radio, print or cell phone, the same skills are needed to interpret and make wise choices about what is seen and heard. Online safety is of particular concern which is why we advocate for media literacy education for all school children K-12.
Is Digital Citizenship the same as Media Literacy? The term Digital Citizenship is often used interchangeably with media literacy, and indeed, media literacy skills are necessary for being a responsible online citizen. Media Literacy, however, is larger than the internet — it involves a new way to see and interpret the world through all forms of media. The critical thinking skills of media literacy are applicable to all aspects of life, and media literacy is an established academic discipline internationally, with a pedagogy and structure necessary for teaching and transferring knowledge and skills.
Is there a difference between media literacy and media education? Yes. Media literacy refers to a set of skills whereas media education involves the process through which one learns these skills. There is no limit to how “media literate” one can become!
Grant Details Announced for K-12 Media Literacy Curriculum
History was made this month when the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) announced its new media literacy education grant program, funded by recently passed legislation. The grant application package was released September 16, 2019.
The submission deadline is 4 p.m., October 21, 2019.
Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis to educational teams representing Washington’s K-12 system. Teams will be expected to develop and share openly-licensed curriculum unitsfocused on one of three subject areas:social studies, English language arts, or health. A unique feature of these units will be that they will be developed using a media literacy lens to address the content that is commonly considered in one of these subject areas.
Check out this link for a 30-minute recording of the webinar that explains the new grant program, the PowerPoint for the webinar, and a Q & A document.
For more information, contact Dennis Small, OSPI Educational Technology Director, dennis.small@k12.wa.us
Local librarians, key partners in media literacy instruction, need your help
URGENT: Educators are fighting to protect their library programs, and none more so than those in Seattle Public Schools. While WA State recently increased its education budget, it also restricted the levy funds local districts can raise. This means that Seattle cannot fully collect the funds it has already approved! The result is a $39M budget deficit in Seattle Schools, with over $12M of the deficit directed at school budgets. Librarians, nurses, and counselors bear the brunt of the cuts.
How can you help? Spread the word among friends, family, colleagues.
5 MINUTES: Write or call WA State legislator Reuven Carlyle or other members of the Ways and Means Committee to support SB 5313, allowing for levy flexibility.
Contact the legislature TODAY!
Leave your comments on SB 5313
Contact SPS school board members, advocating for no cuts to library budgets.
10 MINUTES: Learn more. Read Keith Curry Lance and Debra Kachel’s article detailing research that correlates high quality school library programs and student achievement.
Why school librarians matter: What years of research tell us
5 HOURS: Head to Olympia on April 2 to join SPS librarians to rally and lobby for levy flexibility. #SPSLibrarians
By Kathryn Egawa, Action for Media Education Board Member
Your Comments Needed: New Media Literacy Bill for WA Schools
Exciting news! WA State Senate Bill 5594 provides funding for media literacy curriculum and professional development for teachers.
YOUR COMMENTS ARE NEEDED NOW. Please share this link with as many people as possible across the state. It’s easy! Just type in your zip code and with a few words you can let our lawmakers know your position.
This bill, sponsored and introduced by Senator Marko Liias, creates a grant process for developing new curriculum units that embed media literacy into content area lessons. The new curriculum units will be available for classrooms across the state. The bill also provides for two Media Literacy and Digital Citizenship professional development conferences for educators.
The proposed bill is a follow up to ESSB 5449 from 2017, which supported media literacy and digital citizenship. That bill called for reviewing and revising of district policies and procedures to better support digital citizenship, media literacy and internet safety, and the creation of a repository of best practices and resources. It also mandated an Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) survey that examined how digital citizenship and media literacy were being integrated into Washington’s schools’ curriculum.
Action for Media Literacy (AME) board members Marilyn Cohen, Michael Danielson, and Barbara Johnson met with Senator Liias to propose this new bill, SB 5594. He responded immediately with interest and took action. Thank you to Senator Marko Liias and the bill’s co-sponsors: Senators Judy Warnick, Claire Wilson, Lisa Wellman, Patty Kuderer, Joe Nguyen, Rebecca Saldaña, and Hans Zeiger.
Spread the word, and comment today to support media literacy education!
School libraries compete with leaky roofs for money
It’s no secret that public schools, despite getting baseline funding from the State of Washington, vary widely in the money they have to spend. In the ongoing struggle to provide equitable access for all students, school libraries play a critical, and often underfunded, part.
An article from the Seattle Times (May 7, 2016) made these points:
- Washington state school libraries are not guaranteed any money for books or materials.
- In 2016, for example, 75% of Seattle Public School library funding was provided by PTAs, book fairs, and grants.
- The rest came from Seattle’s district office, averaging $2.55 a year for each student (less than the cost of one magazine).
- The statewide average was from $1 – $10.
- The national average was $10.
- Seattle schools reported a range of $1.69 – $29.88 per student, per year.
But why such a difference? Wealthier schools have PTAs that raise money for their libraries. Other schools face difficult challenges, especially, of course, poverty: families working long hours for low pay, limited English and mobility, and the shocking reality of increasing numbers of homeless students.
Schools with inadequate funding, in fiscally challenged communities, may not have a PTA to pitch in and provide money for their libraries. They have to find the money for competing, substantial needs. These schools depend on grant money, or donations from partner school PTAs and book fairs. Underfunded school libraries with out-of-date books and materials are the rule, not the exception.
In 2016, teacher librarians requested equitable funding for all schools, with full-time librarians in every school. They asked the state to allocate $10 per student for library materials each year. Well, here it is, 2018. Did they get what they wanted?
Teacher Librarians get what they wish for. Almost.
Good news! After the passage of Senate Bill 6362, starting in fall 2018, each school district will be allocated $20 for each full-time student, per year, for school library materials.
With some school libraries spending $29.88 per student, while others scrimp by on $1.69, the chance of every library having $20 per student is a dream come true, right?
Not so fast. That amount isn’t mandated, so it’s up to each school district to decide whether or not they will comply.
Also, the 2018 Legislature didn’t actually make any new money available: since 2009 it’s been in the budget, under “other supplies.” But now the legislature has made it clear that this allocation is to be used specifically for library materials, and has provided reporting accountability.
What happens next?
- You can help! Speak to your local school principal and ask about library funding. Share your strong support for the school library and, especially, the state’s newly identified library allocation.
- Contact your local school board members to thank them for their service. Ask how the district will address this new legislative directive.
- Contact your state elected officials to thank them for the allocation. Explain that without the mandate to spend the money on library materials, you’re concerned that this money may not be spent as intended. Tell them you would appreciate stronger language that mandates the money identified in SB 6362 is spent on library materials.
- Spread the word to other interested parties and ask that they take action too.
Advocates in the school library community, like members of the Washington Library Association, are gearing up to ensure this opportunity isn’t lost in “other supplies.” They’re making lists of what they need to update obsolete print and electronic collections. They’re gathering data on the age of their collections and their sources of funding. They’ll be going to their school and district leaderships with clear and compelling written proposals.
School libraries are a precious resource and are critical to media literacy education. Our children deserve equitable support. Every district should have the means to build excellent library collections that reflect the diversity of their readers, offer a wide range of reading materials, and provide current, high-quality research tools.
Also, did you hug a teacher librarian today?
By Sue D. Cook Thank you to AME board members Shawn Sheller and Kathryn Egawa.
Take action: Opportunity to make Media Literacy a budget priority
Dear Media Literacy Advocates, Friends and Supporters,
Now is the time for us to take action! Washington State Superintendent Chris Reykdal is asking for your opinion about new priorities for school funding. This is an opportunity to influence funding for years to come!
Superintendent Reykdal wants to hear from us — teachers, students, parents and interested taxpayers.
- The online survey asks you to rank budget priorities that OSPI should put forward to the Legislature for 2019.
- Media literacy is not listed on the survey; you can use the write-in section.
- The more times we can get media literacy mentioned in this survey, the better chance we have to ensure the funding of media literacy education.
To take the survey, please visit the State of Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction website below:
You can take the survey here on the State of Washington OSPI website.
The survey is open now through Friday, June 8.
It is available in nine languages in addition to English: Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Somali, Traditional Chinese, Khmer, Korean, Punjabi, and Tagalog. It takes just five minutes to complete and is completely anonymous.
Let’s make sure Superintendent Reykdal knows that media literacy education must be included in his list of priorities!
Take action: Prevent Sinclair Broadcast Group and Tribune Media merger
You may have seen a viral video of friendly local news anchors across the nation reading from a frighteningly Orwellian script. The video is making millions sit up and ask:
What the hell is happening to local news? The answer is Sinclair.
Sinclair Broadcast Group is the nation’s largest broadcaster. It mandated that all its news stations read a statement from the same script, one that seemed to denounce independent, unbiased reporting in favor of an oddly pro-Trump sounding, fake news agenda. It’s even created turmoil in our local KOMO News station, owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group.
Sinclair’s latest project is a mega-merger with Tribune Media, a move that would allow biased, inaccurate, sensational reporting to reach more than 70 percent of the U.S. population.
We urge the FCC to listen to communities and block this despicable deal.
The FCC must deny the Sinclair-Tribune merger. Sinclair has consistently proven itself to be an unworthy steward of the public airwaves — promoting racist commentators, spreading Trump propaganda, slashing newsroom staff, and forcing bigoted must-run content on local stations — and should not be rewarded with a merger that will allow the company to double down on its bad behavior.
Take action to stop this merger and allow news reporting to be fair and accurate, with balanced media-ownership protection policies in place. Make your voice heard here.
Take Action: Increase school library IT resources for students in WA
You can help increase school library IT resources for students in Washington State.
Two bills, one in the House (HB 2695) and one in the Senate (SB 6460), have been introduced that will increase accountability and help provide more resources for school library information technology programs across the state.
Please call your legislators. You can find them here: http://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/
- State senators — urge them to pass SB 6460
- State representatives — urge them to pass HB 2695
You can share these points:
- School library information technology programs–with certified teacher-librarians and the resources necessary to run them effectively–can increase student achievement on tests in all subject areas, and improve graduation rates.
- We owe it to all our students to provide greater access to the current technology and instruction they need to be ready for future jobs and for lifelong learning.
Burger King video illustrates impacts of recent FCC repeal of net neutrality rules using Whopper hamburgers
The repeal of Net Neutrality is a hot topic in America, but it can be very difficult to understand. That’s why the BURGER KING® brand created WHOPPER® Neutrality, a social experiment that explains the effects of the repeal of Net Neutrality by putting it in terms anyone can understand: A WHOPPER® sandwich.
This effort aims to help people understand how the repeal of Net Neutrality will impact their lives. The BURGER KING® brand believes the Internet should be like the WHOPPER® sandwich: the same for everyone.
Help keep Net Neutrality safe by signing the petition at www.Change.org/SavetheNet.
The top-rated post ever in r/Nascar is about net neutrality
NASCAR fans really hate it when you take away their net neutrality. After Federal Communication Commission chairman Ajit Pai announced on Nov. 21 his plans to reverse away Obama-era open-internet rules, a post on net neutrality raced to the the top of Reddit’s NASCAR forum becoming the subreddit’s most popular post ever—by a long shot.
The post, headlined “American Racing Fans, Net Neutrality effects [sic] us all, Ajit Pai is worse than Brian France, call your local representatives,” compares NASCAR’s oft-derided CEO Brian France (who tenure has seen declining ratings and attendance for the sport) with the FCC chairman.
The post had received 60,000 net upvotes and 460 comments by Nov. 27 before being closed for commenting. That compares to just 6,836 upvotes for the next-most upvoted post in r/Nascar.
Image courtesy of Quartz.
Net Neutrality: Join a protest December 7, at Verizon stores nationwide
The new chairman of the FCC was a top lawyer at Verizon. Now he’s calling for a vote to kill net neutrality. We’re protesting at retail stores across the U.S. to demand that Congress stop Verizon’s puppet FCC from destroying the Internet as we know it.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is expected to vote on its plan to kill net neutrality on December 14. People from across the political spectrum are outraged, so we’re planning to protest at Verizon retail stores across the country on December 7, one week before the vote and at the peak of the busy Holiday shopping season. We’ll demand that our members of Congress take action to stop Verizon’s puppet FCC from killing net neutrality.
Net neutrality is the basic principle that has made the Internet into what it is today. It prevents big Internet Service Providers (like Verizon) from charging extra fees, engaging in censorship, or controlling what we see and do on the web by throttling websites, apps, and online services.
Read more and find a protest near you.
What to know about the FCC’s upcoming plan to undo net neutrality rules
With its final meeting of the year less than a month away, the Federal Communications Commission is expected to reveal the latest details of a plan to roll back the government’s net neutrality regulations this week. The result could reshape the entire digital ecosystem by giving internet providers more control over what their customers can see and access online and how quickly they can do it.
Under current rules, broadband companies such as Verizon and Comcast must treat all websites and online services equally. Verizon, for instance, isn’t allowed to deliver content from Yahoo, which it owns, to consumers any faster than it delivers competing content from Google. It also isn’t permitted to actively slow down or block Google services.
But the FCC is likely to change all that, analysts say, relaxing the Obama-era rules that required providers to behave like legacy telecom companies who must carry all phone calls on a nondiscriminatory basis. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai “will try to shrink the footprint of the rules,” said Daniel Berninger, a telecom engineer who has opposed the regulations. The FCC declined to comment.
Read more in The Seattle Times.
Take action! We can save net neutrality. Contact Congress today to keep the internet available to all!
FCC should listen to tech-savvy Seattle and preserve open Internet
This article is relevant now as the FCC considers repealing Net Neutrality laws. It first appeared in the last big discussion on Net Neutrality, back in August 2014.
Well, Seattle residents have spoken. Many of them, anyway, in favor of preserving net neutrality and against creating a two-lane Internet highway in which Internet providers could charge some users more for faster access and connectivity.
The Federal Communications Commission recently released about 1.1 million comments from its first comment period. TechCrunch’s initial analysis found the most-used word by citizens was “Comcast” followed by “Verizon” — and the bulk of what they had to say was not very nice. A second comment period ends on Sept. 10, so go to this FCC link to make your voice heard.
As The Seattle Times editorial board wrote on July 19, May 16, May 11, April 27 and Jan. 15, the open Internet should be preserved and providers should be reclassified as “common carriers” like most other public telecommunication services.
On Wednesday, Reuters reported U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy called on the FCC to leave its echo chamber in the Beltway and hold public meetings around the country. “Most of (those who had commented on the proposed rules online) will not be able to come to Washington to participate in the roundtables that have been scheduled, but their voices are more important than industry lobbyists and members of Congress,” Leahy reportedly wrote in a letter to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler.
Great idea. FCC, please come to Seattle.
Read more in this great piece at The Seattle Times, a big supporter of keeping net neutrality and a strong voice about this issue.
Take action! We can save net neutrality. Contact Congress today to keep the internet available to all!
John Oliver explains how you’re going to get gouged by the end of net neutrality
So you’ve probably heard by now that, in a victory for big telecoms, the Trump administration’s pick to run the FCC wants to scrap so-called “net neutrality” rules that keep the internet free and open to everyone.
So why should you care? It’s got a lot to do with the fact that you’ll more than likely end up paying more to connect to the web. And if you consume a lot of data heavy services (like streaming music, video and games), you’ll pay even more than that.
Take action! We can save net neutrality. Contact Congress today to keep the internet available to all!
Take action! Net Neutrality is on the line
As you may know, we have very little time to contest how the FCC is about take action on the critical issue of Net Neutrality! A decision will be made by December 15 that will change how and when internet is available to all.
AME fought hard in 2015 to preserve Net Neutrality when it was on the chopping block, and now is another time for AME and our supporters to make our voices heard.
Here are the list of people we most need to contact on the FCC. The more email they receive the better, only a line or two is needed. The intent is to inundate them with our emails about the importance of Net Neutrality.
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- Ajit Pai – Ajit.Pai@fcc.gov
- Mignon Clyburn – Mignon.Clyburn@fcc.gov
- Michael O’Reilly – Mike.O’Reilly@fcc.gov
- Brendan Carr – Brendan.Carr@fcc.gov
- Jessica Rosenworcel – Jessica.Rosenworcel@fcc.gov
Take action to get involved in saving Net Neutrality and preserving internet access for all!
Net Neutrality Day, today July 12
On July 12, 2017, thousands of us are protesting to defend Internet freedom.
Cable companies are famous for high prices and poor service. Several rank as the most hated companies in America. Now, they’re lobbying the FCC and Congress to end net neutrality. Why?
It’s simple: if they win the power to slow sites down, they can bully any site into paying millions to escape the “slow lane.”
This would amount to a tax on every sector of the American economy. Every site would cost more, since they’d all have to pay big cable.
Worse, it would extinguish the startups and independent voices who can’t afford to pay. If we lose net neutrality, the Internet will never be the same.
What is net neutrality?
Net neutrality is the principle that Internet providers like Comcast & Verizon should not control what we see and do online.
In 2015, startups, Internet freedom groups, and 3.7 million commenters won strong net neutrality rules from the US Federal Communication Commission (FCC). The rules prohibit Internet providers from blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization—”fast lanes” for sites that pay, and slow lanes for everyone else.
Don’t let that happen. Support Net Neutrality and freedom of speech.
Join the protest and make your voice heard today! Visit www.battleforthenet.com to contact the FCC, learn more information and get involved!
July 12: Get ready to save the internet
Things don’t look so good for the internet right now …
Trump, his FCC chairman and their corporate cronies are hell-bent on destroying Net Neutrality. But on July 12, websites, internet users and online communities will come together to fight back.
We’re teaming up with organizations and major companies like Amazon, Etsy, Kickstarter and reddit to push back against FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s dangerous proposal to destroy real Net Neutrality. This internet-wide day of action will have a huge impact — but only if we get as many people as possible to participate.
As the date gets closer, we’ll provide more details and tools to make participating in the day of action as easy as possible. Sign up if you’d like to take part or get more information.
On July 12 the internet will come together to protect Net Neutrality. Visit the Free Press Action Fund for more details.
The Free Press Action Fund is a nonpartisan organization fighting for your rights to connect and communicate. The Free Press Action Fund does not support or oppose any candidate for public office. Learn more at www.freepress.net.
Image courtesy of Free Press Action Fund.
A message from Senator Ron Wyden about Net Neutrality
Two years ago we accomplished something amazing together. Nearly 4 million people across the country called on the FCC to put in place strong Net Neutrality rules to protect the internet as a tool for innovation, creativity and free speech. And we won.
Net Neutrality rules have governed the internet since its inception, creating a space for free expression to flourish and for startups and small businesses to challenge huge legacy companies.
Abandoning control of the internet to the handful of companies that provide broadband service would allow them to bury the speech of those they don’t agree with and kill competition from startups before they even get off the ground. Massive cable and phone companies will have the power to control what we see and do online, creating “fast lanes” for those that can afford to pay — and leaving the rest of us in the dust.
If we want to defeat this attack on Net Neutrality, we’ll need you to speak out. Send your comment to the FCC today and tell it to leave Net Neutrality alone.
The Free Press Action Fund is a nonpartisan organization fighting for your rights to connect and communicate. The Free Press Action Fund does not support or oppose any candidate for public office. Learn more at www.freepress.net.
Help save the internet
Trump’s FCC chairman, Ajit Pai, introduced a proposal last month that would destroy Net Neutrality and the internet as we know it. It took millions of people speaking out to win strong Net Neutrality rules in the first place, and it will take millions more to defeat this new proposal.
Cable and phone companies like Comcast and Verizon would have the freedom to lock down the internet and charge everyone more money to access the websites, content and applications of their choosing. This would make it near impossible for people, organizations and companies with few resources to do anything online.
People’s fundamental rights are under attack, making it even more urgent that we stop the FCC from destroying our freedom to speak out online.
To take action on this issue to help save the internet and Net Neutrality click here.
The Free Press Action Fund is a nonpartisan organization fighting for your rights to connect and communicate. The Free Press Action Fund does not support or oppose any candidate for public office. Learn more at www.freepress.net.
Stop the Sinclair-Tribune merger
The FCC is paving the way for Sinclair Broadcast Group — already the nation’s largest TV conglomerate — to take over Tribune, which owns 42 stations in many of the country’s big cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas and Denver.
If this deal goes through, Sinclair’s cookie-cutter, Trump-boosting content could reach more than 70 percent of the U.S. population. But to pull off its takeover of Tribune, Sinclair needs the FCC to change the rules. The FCC’s ownership limits were designed to ensure a diversity of local voices and opinions but very few TV stations are owned by women or people of color. Instead of creating policies that promote equity and opportunity, the Trump FCC would rather super-size Sinclair.
To take action on this issue to stop the Sinclair merger and unplug Trump TV click here.
The Free Press Action Fund is a nonpartisan organization fighting for your rights to connect and communicate. The Free Press Action Fund does not support or oppose any candidate for public office. Learn more at www.freepress.net.
Stop Mattel’s Aristotle from trading children’s privacy for profit
In July, Mattel will release Aristotle, a Wi-fi enabled “digital nanny.” Aristotle is an Amazon Echo-type listening and talking device with a camera. To work, it collects and stores data about a child’s activity and interactions with it. Because Aristotle connects to other apps and online retailers, that data may be shared with those partner corporations, which may use it for a wide variety of purposes—including targeting the marketing of other products to children and families.
Even limited use of Aristotle could pose a significant risk to children. As Marc Rotenberg, President of EPIC Privacy, says:
“Companies that offer Internet-connected toys are simply spying on young children. And they can’t even protect the data they secretly gather. They have already lost passwords and personal data and exposed families to ransomware demands. Toys that spy are unsafe for children.”
Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) supports parents’ efforts to raise healthy families by limiting commercial access to children and ending the exploitive practice of child-targeted marketing. In working for the rights of children to grow up—and the freedom for parents to raise them—without being undermined by corporate interests, CCFC promotes a more democratic and sustainable world. Learn more at www.commercialfreechildhood.org.
Take Action! FCC votes to start rolling back landmark net neutrality rules
The Republican-led Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday to begin undoing a key decision from the Obama era that could relax regulations on Internet providers, according to The Washington Post.
By a 2-1 vote led by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, the agency proposed to roll back a 2015 decision that regulated Internet providers more heavily, using some of the same rules the agency applies to phone companies. The proposal also suggests repealing the so-called “general conduct” rule that allows the FCC to investigate business practices of Internet providers that it suspects may be anti-competitive. And finally, the proposal asks whether the agency should eliminate the most high-profile parts of the net neutrality rules: The rules banning the blocking and slowing of websites, as well as the rule forbidding ISPs from charging websites extra fees.
Democrats — concerned that the results could be much weaker than the current rules — are instead gearing up for a grass roots battle similar to the kind that defeated the House Republican health care plan.
“This fight is just starting,” said Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), in a statement. “The public now has the opportunity to stand up, be heard, and influence the outcome. It will take millions of people standing up … to say that the Internet needs to stay free and open.”
Here’s what you can do to join in and make sure we win this fight in support of net neutrality, as shared by The Nation:
Continue reading “Take Action! FCC votes to start rolling back landmark net neutrality rules”
Verizon accuses net neutrality advocates of lying to rile their base
Net neutrality is under threat and advocacy groups such as Free Press, Fight for the Future and others are pushing to save it. That’s not how Verizon, one of the Internet Service Providers hoping for a reversal of Federal Communications Commission rules enabling net neutrality, sees it.
“You gotta understand, there are a lot of advocacy groups out there that fundraise on this issue,” said Craig Sillman, executive VP-public policy and general counsel at the telco giant. “So how do you fundraise? You stir people up with outrageous claims. Unfortunately, we live in a time where people have discovered that it doesn’t matter what’s true, you just say things to rile up the base.”
Sillman spoke in a PR video released by Verizon on Friday in which he is interviewed by an apparent Verizon employee who calls himself “Jeremy.” Sillman argued the FCC is not planning to kill off net neutrality, it’s merely altering its legal footing.
View the video below, or read more at Ad Age.
Action 4 Media Education 