Net neutrality activists who organized the Internet Slowdown protest announce next campaign: the Internet Countdown

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 26, 2015

Contact: Evan Greer, Fight for the Future
Phone: 978-852-6457
Email: press@fightforthefuture.org

Net neutrality activists who organized the Internet Slowdown protest announce next campaign: the Internet Countdown, starting today

Coalition behind BattleFortheNet.com call for websites and Internet users to join sustained “countdown” protest until FCC vote on February 26th

Exactly one month before the FCC’s presumed vote on Title II net neutrality rules, the digital rights groups behind the September 10th Internet Slowdown protest announced a new campaign today: the Internet Countdown.

See the campaign landing page here: https://battleforthenet.com/countdown

The Internet Countdown is a sustained effort where websites will display a countdown timer that literally counts down the seconds to the FCC vote on February 26th, and allows visitors to click to take action at BattleFortheNet.com in support of full net neutrality through Title II reclassification.

The details of the protest were unveiled this morning, and the organizers plan to announce participants in a rolling fashion as they join the Internet Countdown effort. The first site to join after the announcement this morning was Daily Kos, which, with more than 8 million unique monthly visitors, is one of the largest progressive news sites on the web.

The Internet Countdown is being organized by Fight for the Future, Demand Progress, and Free Press, supported by the many of the groups involved with BattleFortheNet.com

In September, the same groups organized the Internet Slowdown, an internet-wide uprising in support of Title II net neutrality that involved more than 40,000 websites including many of the largest on the web. The protest successfully drove more than 770,000 comments to the FCC and hundreds of thousands of phone calls to Congress in a single day.

“We are closer than ever to winning real net neutrality protections that will keep the Web open for generations to come, and the Internet is literally counting down the seconds,” said Fight for the Future Campaign Director Evan Greer, “We call on Internet users, cat video posters, music bloggers, youtube karaoke stars, and major websites to unite for one more epic push to make sure that the FCC does the right thing and that corrupt members Congress can’t derail the process.”

“This is it: All hands on deck for the open Internet,” said Demand Progress Executive Director David Segal. “The ISPs are among the most hated companies in America, but they’re still loved by the politicians whose campaigns they back.  We know that they won’t relent in their opposition to net neutrality, and so we cannot relent in our active support for the cause, even as we feel optimistic about our chances.”

“Strong net neutrality protections are essential to the survival of Daily Kos and all independent media outlets. Without net neutrality, ISPs would be free to stifle or elevate voices based on their own corporate interests,” said Rachel Colyer, Senior Campaign Director at Daily Kos.”This is why we are part of the Internet Countdown—the FCC must do the right thing. We encourage our community to participate in the Democratic process by showing solidarity for strong net neutrality rules written at the FCC and based on Title II authority.”

“After close to a decade of fighting to save the Internet, we’re closer than ever to finally securing real Net Neutrality,” said Free Press President and CEO Craig Aaron. “Millions of people have called on Congress and the FCC to put the public need for an open Internet before the demands of Comcast, AT&T and Verizon. Because of the passion and commitment of Internet users, the FCC seems poised to make new policies that will protect the public. But the industry lobbyists haven’t given up yet. And that’s why we must keep up the pressure in these crucial few weeks before a final vote.”

Websites and Internet users can learn more about how to participate in the Internet Countdown at https://battleforthenet.com/countdown

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