Opposition of the FCC’s repeal of net neutrality continues to grow as six more tech companies have joined the fight and filed suits. Automattic, Kickstarter, Etsy, Foursquare, Shutterstock and Expansion have petitioned the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit as part of a group called the Coalition of Internet Openness. The goal of this group is to stop the FCC from overturning the net neutrality rules to ensure that there’s a free and open internet for all.
“We believe that everyone has the right to access information on places, spaces and people, and that business leaders and brands need to be able to interpret trends and patterns as they truly exist,” said Marc Ellenbogen, Foursquare’s chief compliance officer and general counsel.
This is just the latest group to join the fight to save net neutrality. Earlier this year, other tech giants like Amazon, Facebook, Google, Netflix and Twitter have sued the FCC as part of the Internet Association lobbying group. In addition to these companies, 23 attorneys general have also filed a challenge to the repeal, and the US Senate is working on a possible resolution that might undo the FCC’s vote as well.
“The fight for net neutrality is the fight for civil liberties, and a more vibrant culture,” said Candace Martin, Kickstarter’s commercial counsel, in a statement. “Without it, the free and equal exchange of ideas is at risk.”
States aren’t just sitting back either. States like Oregon, New Jersey and New York have attempted to come up with their own solutions in their respective states to keep net neutrality alive.
