Netflix to join net neutrality ‘day of action’

Netflix is jumping into the new fight over net neutrality.

The company on Thursday said it is joining in tech advocacy group Fight For The Future’s net neutrality day of action, in which companies and other stakeholders will “sound the alarm about the [Federal Communication Commission’s] attack on net neutrality.”

The video streaming company is one of the largest to join the effort, alongside Amazon, Kickstarter, Vimeo and the Internet Association, a Google-backed trade association for web companies.

{mosads}Netflix had been a strong advocate of the net neutrality rules. In 2014, the company warned that if the rules were not adopted it would rally its customers.

“Were this draconian scenario to unfold with some [internet service providers],” Netflix wrote at the time, “we would vigorously protest and encourage our members to demand the open internet they are paying their ISP to deliver.” 

But recently, Netflix has been relatively silent on the issue, as Republican FCC Chairman Ajit Pai leads an effort to rollback the rules.

CEO Reed Hastings slowly walked back the company’s stance, saying in May that net neutrality is no longer a “primary battle,” for the company.

The FCC is considering Pai’s “Restoring Internet Freedom” measure, which if approved, would get rid of net neutrality. The rules were aimed at creating a level playing field for internet companies and consumers by preventing broadband providers from prioritizing certain types of content over others.

Broadband, cable and telecommunications companies have come out in support of Pai’s proposals, but privacy and consumer advocacy groups and some internet companies oppose the plan.