Yesterday was the day net neutrality was officially repealed, meaning that internet protections for consumers and small businesses have been erased by the FCC and its Trump-appointed chairman, Ajit Pai. So, naturally, Pai went to Fox News for a friendly platform to pretend that repealing a wildly popular regulation is just great for everyone.
In December, a poll found that 83%, an overwhelming, bipartisan majority, opposed repealing net neutrality regulations. That statistic was never mentioned by host Dana Perino during her lapdog interview with Pai.
Furthermore, as NPR reported, the repeal has the potential for big businesses and wealthy consumers to have a better internet than the rest of us: “The new order permits ISPs to throttle, block, or be paid to prioritize certain sites or content, as long as they disclose that they are doing so.”
But Perino did not challenge Pai when he claimed that those “on the wrong side of the digital divide” will now see “better, faster, cheaper” internet service. (Transcript below mostly via Media Matters, with my emphases)
PERINO: I’m so glad to have you here because I’ve admired you for so long about many things. I know that net neutrality is an important issue and that many on the left and the Democrats think this one of the most important issues. I look at polls, often in the top five. And I got to ask you why? And secondly, what is the practical effect of the action you’re taking today on somebody—anybody in this room that would be searching on the internet?
PAI: Well the bottom line for consumers going forward is that the internet is going to be better than ever. We’re going to see better, faster, cheaper internet access for people who for too long have been on the wrong side of the digital divide. We’re going to see new applications and services go forward to benefit consumers. So I think a lot of the fears that politicians and activists have been putting out there are going to be proven to be misinformed.
[…]
It obscures the real common ground… I believe in a free and open internet.
Perino closed by saying, “You are a cheerful, happy warrior and a really committed public servant.”
Watch Perino slobber over Pai below, from the June 11, 2018 The Daily Briefing.
If you’d like to tell the FCC and/or Pai what you think of this repeal, here is the contact page.
Originally published at Newshounds.us
