EFF: The FCC Has Made the Same Mistake for Text Messaging That It Did for Net Neutrality
The FCC Has Made the Same Mistake for Text Messaging That It Did for Net Neutrality Almost exactly a year ago, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to strip net neutrality protections from the Internet and reclassify Internet Service Providers as an “information service” rather than a “common carrier” telecommunications one. This year, the FCC has voted to classify text messaging the same way. This classification is not just a minor legal technicality. It can have real effects on our ability to use text messaging for political speech and supporting charities. This is why EFF joined 19 other groups in signing a letter urging FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to either classify SMS and short codes as a common carrier or, at the least, wait to make a decision until the effects of classifying text messaging as an information service could be studied under today’s circumstances. Currently, short-messaging services (SMS) and short codes—the five- or six-digit numbers you often see a...