The People Prevail: FCC Calls Off Closed-Door Meetings on Net Neutrality

You called, you emailed and you signaled your outrage as the Federal Communications Commission continued to meet behind closed doors with Internet companies, and Google and Verizon hatched a side plan on how to manage the Internet.

And then, you prevailed. Amidst a tidal wave of public pressure, FCC Chief of Staff Edward Lazarus called off closed-door negotiations with major ISPs and Internet companies, pledging “to seek broad input on this vital issue.”

Free Press, SavetheInternet.com and CREDO helped generate more than 2,000 phone calls to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski’s office over the last 24 hours. You called to complain about the FCC’s lack of transparency and urged the agency to put the public interest first in any negotiations over the fate of the Internet.

Thousands more have emailed Google since this morning urging the company not to undermine the open Internet by selling us out in a deal with Verizon.

As the day of public action gained momentum, the chairman’s office reasserted the agency’s commitment to Net Neutrality, and to a transparent process: "Any outcome, any deal that doesn't preserve the freedom and openness of the Internet for consumers and entrepreneurs will be unacceptable."

Now the FCC must match words with decisive actions. We need our leaders in Washington to reject corporate efforts to carve up the Internet and self-regulate.

Today, Julius Genachowski and the FCC took a step back from the brink and gave everyone who cares about the free an open Internet reason to be hopeful that they still might do the right thing. And it was your action that helped them take that step.

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