California passes “the strongest net neutrality standards in the nation”

Digital freedom
1 min
California flag above a red equal sign

California has just passed net neutrality regulations into state law after bill SB-822 passed both the State Assembly and the Senate on August 31.

California’s Democratic Governor Jerry Brown has until September 30 to sign the bill into law.

Restoring Net Neutrality after Federal repeal

The law aims to restore Net Neutrality in California after it was repealed on a federal level by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) earlier this year.

If signed, the bill will stop Internet service providers (ISPs) from throttling speeds to certain websites and prioritizing sites that paid more for faster access, and instead, mandate that all web traffic is treated equally.

Hailed by its primary sponsor Senator Scott Wiener as “the strongest net neutrality standards in the nation” California’s bill means that the entire west coast will now benefit from net neutrality at the state level.

More states to adopt net neutrality?

California’s ruling is significant as it the most populous state in the U.S., as well as the home of tech hubs like Silicon Valley. The decision to pass the bill has set a precedent for 27 cities, including Chicago, Boston, and Houston who have backed a lawsuit against the FCC’s repeal of Net Neutrality.

The fight for Net Neutrality continues. If you want to support net neutrality in your city, Fight for the Future’s Battle for the Net has resources and provides channels for you to contact your congressional representatives.

Ceinwen focused on digital privacy, censorship, and surveillance, and has interviewed leading figures in tech.