The biggest opponent of net neutrality has been officially revealed.
Net neutrality has been one of the most controversial topics gaining bipartisan support in the different states of America and the fight towards free and open internet hasn’t ceased to make the supporters’ voices heard. While protesters launch rallies, state officials pass bills and laws, those who believe that killing the net neutrality law is a path towards innovation and growth of the industry.
One of the believers of anti-neutrality is Marsha Blackburn. The Tennessee Representative is behind the competition on her way to Senate by 10 points to a Democrat in Tennessee. Her loyalty to big service provider companies is likely to be blamed for it.
She is famous for her defense of killing net neutrality protections citing that is the only way for an open and competitive industry. She has been active in her campaign to stop every state from adopting their own broadband networks to defend their rights when the latter agreed on protectionist laws, as a result, getting rid of competition for Comcast. But when the same states support the rights of broadband consumers, she backed up the FCC to block these states.
In 2017, she passed H.R. 4682 “The Open Internet Preservation Act” wherein it prohibits blocking content or slowing down internet traffic but do not prevent paid prioritization. In an attempt to address the negative feedback against the FCC vote, she stated in an op-ed that the passed legislation “will ensure that the internet marketplace is stable” and to reach more people.
However, Craig Aaron, the Free Press Action Fund president and CEO referred to her bill as fake net neutrality wherein the real motive is to eliminate competition in the industry and control communications in the future.
Meanwhile, activists can’t be stopped in showing their support, they are currently targeting lawmakers who against net neutrality. Recently, A non-profit group is targeting Blackburn regarding her stand on net neutrality. The Fight for the Future group like the others purchased billboard ads through raised funds via crowdsourcing. The ad in Clarksville Tennessee includes a photo of the lawmaker and caption states that she received money from Verizon, but now, she is giving these internet providers the authority to block, slow down and impose a tax on the internet and that if anyone has a question why that is, a contact number is given.
Blackburn’s reaction was that the billboards were from attacking liberal activists. The goal of the ad in the billboard is to confuse consumers and that Blackburn supports free and open internet.
Her advocacy of privacy protection for the internet and edge providers are geared towards how the consumers are able to have more control over the services. A hearing is set in September to address the concerns with the country’s biggest internet and edge provider companies.
Similar ads published were about Representatives Paul Ryan (WI), Kevin Mc. Carthy (CA) and Tom Graves (GA), Senators Roger Wicker (MS) and John Thune (SD).
Many are on the lookout if Blackburn will be able to defeat Bredesen in the Senate seat, while many are not positive about it. While many are in distaste of Blackburn’s defense of AT&T and Comcast, let’s wait and see if this will play a role in the actual coming elections.