Leading internet figures call on Congress to stop net neutrality repeal

A group of internet innovators is calling on Congress to intervene to stop the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from repealing its landmark net neutrality rules.

In a letter to the top congressional Republicans and Democrats overseeing the agency, the group argued that the plan to deregulate internet service providers threatens the openness of the internet.

The letter, which was sent on Monday, was signed by Tim Berners-Lee and Vinton Cerf, both considered the founding fathers of the internet; Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak; and Mitchell Baker, the head of the Mozilla Foundation.

{mosads}The group wrote, “The FCC’s rushed and technically incorrect proposed Order to abolish net neutrality protections without any replacement is an imminent threat to the Internet we worked so hard to create. It should be stopped.”

The FCC will vote to scrap the Obama-era consumer protections on Thursday. The proposal is expected to pass and will end the restrictions on internet providers that required them to treat all web traffic equally.

“The proposed Order removes long-standing FCC oversight over Internet access providers without an adequate replacement to protect consumers, free markets and online innovation,” the letter reads.

The group accused FCC Chairman Ajit Pai of structuring the repeal proposal on a “flawed and factually inaccurate understanding” of the internet and for not holding public hearings on scrapping the rules.

Still, despite the public outcry, it’s unlikely that the Republican-controlled Congress will intervene to stop the vote.