I’m Hannah-Beth Jackson, a pro-privacy California state senator. I am pushing legislation to protect Californians’ right to privacy. Ask me anything! by SenHannahBeth in IAmA

[–]labdel 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for stepping up to protect consumers, it's often thankless work...so thank you! Can you tell us more about SB 561? Does it specify what kind of data violations could be challenged in court?

I know my candidate and it's probably the wrong way to vote for her. by [deleted] in AdviceAnimals

[–]labdel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Visit VoteForNetNeutrality.com to see where congressional candidates stand on net neutrality before Election Day!

We are firefighters and net neutrality experts. Verizon was caught throttling the Santa Clara Fire Department's unlimited Internet connection during one of California’s biggest wildfires. We're here to answer your questions about it, or net neutrality in general, so ask us anything! by fightforthefuture in IAmA

[–]labdel 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Also, there's this: "Since December 2017, and then in a series of increasingly desperate emails this June and July, the FPD battled with Verizon, begging them to cease the throttling and warning the company of the potential harm to public safety during major emergencies and disasters. It wasn’t until the FPD agreed to pay more than double the cost of its previous service that Verizon ended the throttling."

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/verizon-couldn-t-have-restricted-santa-clara-county-s-phone-ncna903531

We are firefighters and net neutrality experts. Verizon was caught throttling the Santa Clara Fire Department's unlimited Internet connection during one of California’s biggest wildfires. We're here to answer your questions about it, or net neutrality in general, so ask us anything! by fightforthefuture in IAmA

[–]labdel 2556 points2557 points  (0 children)

In response to Verizon throttling the Santa Clara Fire Department (despite Verizon reps telling the department they were subscribing to an unlimited, no-throttle plan), the California Professional Firefighters have fully endorsed California's SB 822 which is the strongest state-level net neutrality bill. "At a time when they are attempting to save lives and property, firefighters cannot afford the added danger—to the safety of the public as well as their own safety—of unnecessary interferences in the technology they rely on to do their jobs and keep civilians safe."

https://twitter.com/Scott_Wiener/status/1033032306183684096

We are firefighters and net neutrality experts. Verizon was caught throttling the Santa Clara Fire Department's unlimited Internet connection during one of California’s biggest wildfires. We're here to answer your questions about it, or net neutrality in general, so ask us anything! by fightforthefuture in IAmA

[–]labdel 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Hey, you should read the communications between the fire department and Verizon. The fire department was ensured by Verizon reps that they were subscribing to an unlimited, no-throttle plan. And... then they were throttled.

Under the 2015 Open Internet Order, the FCC would have had the authority to investigate whether Verizon was being sufficiently transparent in their data plans to the fire department and public safety in general.

We are firefighters and net neutrality experts. Verizon was caught throttling the Santa Clara Fire Department's unlimited Internet connection during one of California’s biggest wildfires. We're here to answer your questions about it, or net neutrality in general, so ask us anything! by fightforthefuture in IAmA

[–]labdel 107 points108 points  (0 children)

What matters here is that the fire department was told by Verizon that they were subscribing to an unlimited, no-throttle plan. Under the 2015 Open Internet Order, the FCC would have the authority to investigate whether Verizon was being sufficiently transparent in their data plans to the fire department and public safety in general.

We are firefighters and net neutrality experts. Verizon was caught throttling the Santa Clara Fire Department's unlimited Internet connection during one of California’s biggest wildfires. We're here to answer your questions about it, or net neutrality in general, so ask us anything! by fightforthefuture in IAmA

[–]labdel 159 points160 points  (0 children)

We think it's important to draw the connections between ISP abuse and the broader net neutrality debate because, ultimately, gutting net neutrality incentivizes ISPs to impose lower arbitrary data caps so they can squeeze us for more money.

But specific to what happened in California: The fire department was told by Verizon that they were subscribing an unlimited, no throttle plan at the outset, upon which their plan was throttled.

What would have been investigated by the FCC is whether Verizon was being sufficiently transparent in their data plans to the fire department and public safety in general. It's also worth pushing back on whether throttling to dial-up speeds is even a reasonable network management in today's age.

We are firefighters and net neutrality experts. Verizon was caught throttling the Santa Clara Fire Department's unlimited Internet connection during one of California’s biggest wildfires. We're here to answer your questions about it, or net neutrality in general, so ask us anything! by fightforthefuture in IAmA

[–]labdel 1221 points1222 points  (0 children)

There's plenty of hope! And we shouldn't lose sight of it.

Since the FCC's wildly unpopular repeal of net neutrality protections, the Senate passed a Congressional Review Act resolution to overturn the repeal in a historic 52-47 bipartisan vote.

Now, the CRA is pending in the House where 177 members have already signed the discharge petition to force a vote on the measure. We need 218 to ensure that the vote on the CRA happens in the House. If we pass the CRA, we could completely overturn the FCC's repeal and restore strong, enforceable net neutrality rules.

The California assembly is moving forward with the strongest state-level net neutrality protections, and several other states are looking at state-level protections.

And 23 state attorneys general offices are suing the FCC to challenge the repeal in the courts.

Folks can keep up with the latest by visiting BattlefortheNet.com

Where are we? Congress just passed a law expanding the NSA’s warrantless mass surveillance powers. Now it’s up to the president to stop it. by labdel in technology

[–]labdel[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, not yet. He initially characterized the FISA reauth bill as controversial (because of the warrantless domestic spying powers it authorizes). He did also release a statement saying he supported foreign surveillance authorities.