Broadband is as necessary as water, gas, and electricity – a sentiment shared by over half of all Americans who say that the internet has been essential during the COVID-19 pandemic. As an organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy, Common Cause understands the importance of a libre, bukas at naa-access na internet para sa lahat. Nag-aambag ang Broadband sa isang may kaalaman at nakatuong publiko, at kung wala ito wala tayong gumaganang demokrasya.

Broadband has fundamentally changed what participation in our democracy looks like. Today, people use the internet to register to vote, learn about political candidates, find their polling places, access government services, organize rallies, communicate with their friends and family, and much more. But broadband can only fuel civic engagement to the extent our digital rights are protected online.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has the authority to regulate and oversee broadband under Title II of the Communications Act. Title II is often synonymous with net neutrality, the principle that the internet should be open and ISPs shouldn’t be allowed to block, throttle, or create fast lanes for prioritized internet access. But Title II means much more than that. It protects the digital rights everyone expects when going online.

The largest ISPs in this country hold tremendous control over who can access the internet and what that access looks like. This unfettered control gives ISPs the ability and incentive to engage in discriminatory practices that undermine our digital rights. For example, ISPs have engaged in pagtaas ng presyo, ibinenta ang real-time na data ng lokasyon ng kanilang mga customer, at isinasagawa mapanlinlang na mga gawi sa pagsingil. Ang Title II ay nagbibigay sa FCC ng awtoridad upang matiyak na ang mga presyo ng broadband ay makatarungan at makatwiran at nagbibigay-daan sa ahensya na mag-imbestiga ng hindi makatarungan at diskriminasyong pag-uugali. Dahil ang broadband ay naging mahalaga ngayon nang higit pa kaysa dati, ang FCC ay dapat magkaroon ng lahat ng tool na magagamit nito upang panagutin ang mga kumpanyang ito at protektahan ang pampublikong interes.

Recognizing the critical nature of connectivity, the FCC under the Obama administration reclassified broadband as a Title II service under the 2015 Open Internet Order, creating a framework that advanced universal and affordable connectivity and safeguarded critical consumer protections when online. However, the FCC during the Trump administration repealed the 2015 Order, and consequently abdicated its authority over broadband.

Since the FCC relinquished its broadband authority, we’ve seen a wild west where ISPs are free to do what they want at the expense of consumers. In one particularly egregious example, Verizon throttled the Santa Clara Fire Department during its response to the California Wildfires, and the Fire Department was left without legal recourse because the FCC had no oversight over Verizon’s actions. Without Title II authority, the FCC was also forced to resort to asking ISPs to make voluntary commitments not to terminate customer service during the pandemic. When customers filed hundreds of complaints noting ISPs failure to uphold the pledge, the FCC had no way to hold these providers accountable for disconnecting households during the pandemic. Without Title II, the FCC will continue to be stuck trying to protect consumers with one hand tied behind its back.

Title II also plays a vital role in safeguarding the rights of marginalized people. Black, Latinx, and Indigenous communities are mas malamang kaysa sa mga puting katapat na magkaroon ng koneksyon sa broadband sa bahay, ibig sabihin ay hindi sila ganap na makalahok sa ating demokrasya. Ang mga komunidad na ito ay mas malamang na maapektuhan ng Pandemya ng covid-19, paglalagay ng higit na kahalagahan sa pagkakaroon ng internet access para sa teleworking, telemedicine, at virtual na edukasyon. Nakatira sila sa mga kapitbahayan na napapailalim sa digital redlining, na nag-iiwan sa kanila ng lumang imprastraktura at walang access sa tunay na high-speed internet. Ang mga parehong komunidad na ito ay mas malamang na maapektuhan ng hindi katimbang mga kasanayan sa data ng diskriminasyon. With Title II authority, the FCC can correct the market failure that has led to these disparidad, ipahayag ang mga regulasyon na ipagbawal ang digital redlining, at magpatibay ng mga proteksyon sa privacy na nagpoprotekta sa personal na data ng mga miyembro ng marginalized na komunidad kaugnay ng kung paano pinangangasiwaan ang data na ito ng mga provider ng broadband.

This is a pivotal moment for consumers everywhere. We need a fully functional FCC to address our communications needs and protect our digital rights under Title II. These  rights go way beyond the basic principle of net neutrality. Title II represents the ability of the Federal Communications Commission to ensure equal access to broadband, act in the event of an emergency, and safeguard the activities that are essential to our democracy. We need robust and affordable broadband now more than ever for a functioning democracy, and that can only be achieved through Title II.