The Justice Department announced on Sunday night that it will sue California for enacting its own net neutrality law. And the internet isn’t happy about it.
The bill in California has been heralded by net neutrality advocates as one of the toughest legislative fixes in the wake of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rescinding the federal-level protections last year.
While there was much rejoicing after Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signed California’s bill into law on Sunday night, the emotions online quickly turned to anger after the Justice Department announced its intention to sue the state over the law, claiming that it “unlawfully imposes burdens on the federal government’s deregulatory approach to the internet.”
The reaction among people online over the news was quick, with many people pointing out that “state’s rights” are typically a hallmark position for Republicans.
https://twitter.com/superwuster/status/1046597319314087941
So much for #StatesRights, huh @GOP? #NetNeutrality https://t.co/kJnJ7qpMUB
— TrekkerTeach (@trekkerteach12) October 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/HenryWilc0x/status/1046633923923628032
So what were you saying about state’s rights? Oh, I see, only when it suits your narrative. https://t.co/C75tmBHCqq
— jlee (@canidae_jlee2) October 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/reckless/status/1046594058972483592
The Justice Dept. is planning to sue California for doing what the nation as a whole should’ve done LONG ago… Why? https://t.co/qmIjyNkHuU
— Jorge García (@jorgegxrcia) October 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/FinkoPhotos/status/1046745169155035136
Didn’t expect the month of Halloween to start with something as scary as the federal government suing California over something they refuse to regulate. #netneutrality
— mortalglitch (@mortalglitch) October 1, 2018
*Fixed typo in original
State’s rights unless it’s the libs. https://t.co/qP3RjAUsXA
— Kalinor the Salesman (@turandorf) October 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/uloweringthebar/status/1046752995088654337
Other people directed their outrage at FCC Chairman Ajit Pai–who is a frequent target of people’s ire online–and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, both of whom blasted the law in statements in the Justice Department’s lawsuit announcement.
https://twitter.com/firescotch/status/1046726176981618688
Verizon didn’t do all that work to make Ajit Pai chairman for the states to stop him from ruining the internet! https://t.co/uqb5GyOjre
— Thorne 🌸 (@ExistentialEnso) October 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/Batyalee/status/1046679256527331329
https://twitter.com/trojanchad/status/1046733849626136576
Considering that people online routinely rally around net neutrality causes in large numbers, it’s not shocking that their reaction to the Justice Department’s decision was so quick and so fierce.
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