Last week, the Federal Communications Commission made the controversial decision to overturn net neutrality rules. Net neutrality rules prohibit internet service providers from prioritizing certain businesses over others, for example, over political views or pricing mechanisms that favor established corporations.
But Carol Rose, executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts, says the fight is far from over.
"The battle's not over yet, but it's a tremendously important battle, both for democracy and for an innovation economy," Rose said, noting that the ruling could be especially damaging to states like Massachusetts that have a healthy start-up landscape.
"For people who care about an open internet and frankly, democracy, we need to fight back. Already that's starting both in the courts and in Congress," she said.
Rose pointed to an effort in Congress led by Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey to use the Congressional Review Act to overturn the ruling. The Congressional Review Act allows Congress to undo federal regulations with a majority vote.
"Can we peel off some members of Congress who understand that this is actually a danger to their state's economies? I think that's the strongest argument we can make, and the fact that 83 percent of the American people support net neutrality," Rose said, citing a recent poll.
A number of state attorneys general, including Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, have also announced they will fight the decision in the courts.
Rose says she believes access to a free and open internet is more than just a technology issue — it's a civil liberties issue.
"We really want to make sure everyone has equal access to the internet, and that it's not just for the uber rich or the big corporations," she said.
Click the audio player above to hear more from Carol Rose.
