Milo Yiannopoulos on Net Neutrality: ‘Soros-funded groups are pushing lies’
Controversial right-wing commentator Milo Yiannopoulos has weighed in on the Net Neutrality debate. Yiannopoulos claims that George Soros-funded organizations are telling lies to bring about government control of the internet.
"The Soros-funded organizations that are pushing Net Neutrality and advocating for more government control of the internet have told you two big lies," Yiannopoulos told an audience in a video posted on his Facebook page.
READ MORE: Net neutrality repeal: 'Good day for the internet' or 'step in the wrong direction'?
The first ‘lie,’ according to Yiannopoulos, is the idea that the internet should be regulated by the government rather than the free market. “It is much better in my view to have customers and private companies negotiate their own relationship and the market decide what it can bear.”
It was revealed in October that Soros has donated $18 billion to his Open Society Foundations over the past few years. The organisation has a budget of $940.7 million for 2017; $14 million of this is designated for Information and Digital Rights.
READ MORE: Soros sheltering $18bn that American tax authorities can never touch
Yiannopoulos dismissed the argument that Net Neutrality is about ensuring equality on the internet.
“That has never been the case. Every service provider already shapes traffic, all of the stuff that Net Neutrality is designed to eradicate it never will,” he said, suggesting that internet service providers will always send some data faster than others.
“Net Neutrality is a cosmetic announcement on the one hand but really what it represents is a license for the FCC to wade in and interfere in the relationship between private people and their providers.”
The former Breitbart journalist and self-proclaimed “free speech champion” contended that Net Neutrality is tantamount to government control and bad for the consumer.
“I want the government completely out of that relationship, just leave us to deal with the service providers and if they screw up we’ll sign up with someone else.”
READ MORE: Far-right ‘peasant’ Milo Yiannopoulos called ‘brainwashed sheep’ by Muslim radio caller
The Federal Communications Commission voted to repeal the Obama-era Net Neutrality rules earlier this week amid protests and heavy criticism.
Opponents of the decision say only internet service providers will benefit from the rollback. Tech giants, including Amazon, Facebook and Netflix, are among the most vocal critics of the decision to repeal the rules.
The FCC said the rules would take effect once the White House Office of Management and Budget approved the new transparency rules, which could take several months.
Meanwhile a number of US State Attorney Generals have already expressed their intention to file a lawsuit aimed at blocking the change. Top Democrat Chuck Schumer said Friday that he intends to force a vote on a bill that would preserve existing rules.
A reversal of the FCC vote would need the approval of the House, the Senate and President Donald Trump.
