U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai received death threats and backlash after the repeal of net-neutrality on Dec. 14. What exacerbated the situation was a public service announcement that he released along with the Daily Caller, an alt-right media organization, which lists “the seven things” one can still do with the internet.
The sarcastic video, in which Pai is seen in various get-ups, including one featuring him a Santa outfit and another with him holding lightsabers, has incensed the hundreds of net neutrality supporters. Many called him the puppet of telecom industry.
One Twitter user told him to “kill himself” while another said, “If I can not open my internet tomorrow and it says I have to pay for anything I will hunt you down and kill you myself.”
Even before the rules were repealed, Pai received threats and had said that his family was being harassed.
Musician Harry Rodrigues, also known as DJ Baauer, said he would take legal recourse against the video as it used his song Harlem Shake that attained meme status.
“The use of my song in this video obviously comes as a surprise to me as it was just brought to my attention. I want to be clear that it was used completely without my consent or council. My team and I are currently exploring every single avenue available to get it taken down. I support net neutrality like the vast majority of this country and am appalled to be associated with its repeal in anyway,” he said in a statement, according to the Verge.
The full video of the public service announcement can be watched below:
my first instinct was this can’t be real then i remembered it was still 2017 #NetNeutrality we are living in a full on parody now pic.twitter.com/Rs8htenbd2
— к†и (@killthenoise) December 14, 2017
In the first scene, he says you “can still gram your food.” He then says you can still buy your Christmas presents, followed by “You can still stay part of your fave fandom.” In the last part he says, “You can still ruin memes,” in which he uses the Harlem Shake song.
Many lawsuits are expected to be filed against the decision by the FCC, which voted on Dec. 14. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has already said that he would lead a multi-state lawsuit to challenge the reversal of the rules that were set in place in the Obama era.
#NetNeutrality has been killed by the #FCC and #AjitPai. This is a horrible mistake, and so ushers in the end of a free internet age that has led to some of the greatest innovations of our era. (1)
— Cole M. Sprouse (@colesprouse) December 14, 2017
Why did @FCC and @AjitPaiFCC rush this vote on #NetNeutrality despite known fraud & criminal activity in the public process? I look forward to Chairman Pai one day testifying under oath to Congress as to why he ignored 18 Attorneys General. Did Chairman Pai aid and abet fraud? https://t.co/KK6kfWUk7P
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) December 14, 2017
Dear America.
If Ajit Pai comes to your restaurant, bar, or any other service-based business, please feel free to considerably slow down your service — just like he allowed your internet provider slow down and throttle your internet speeds and streaming services.
Good night. pic.twitter.com/R7b3xiapwl— Zack Whittaker (@zackwhittaker) December 15, 2017
Meanwhile, Pai’s Wikipedia page was changed to call him a “spineless invertebrate”.
LOL WHO DID THIS
😂 #Yaaasss #NetNeutrality @AjitPaiFCC pic.twitter.com/DQevd7R8UD— Morgan Berry (@TheMorganBerry) December 15, 2017
Some people have accused him of fraud for using their parents’ names as supporters for his decision.
@AjitPaiFCC – my dad died August 6 of this year. Apparently he wrote to FCC on August 7….of this year. CC @mikefarb1 @Kris_Sacrebleu @AGSchneiderman pic.twitter.com/aC8KfoxvhY
— Nicole (@nicshaf) December 15, 2017
Hey, @AjitPaiFCC, today my mom would have turned 71. But she didn’t. Because she died in March of 2016. Can you please take the time to explain to me how she made three separate comments in support of ending #NetNeutrality more than a year after she died?
cc: @SeanAstin pic.twitter.com/VtdLaB0eGp
— Mackenzie Astin (@MackenzieAstin) December 15, 2017
Another Twitter user said that the “Brown” community has disowned Pai.
brown twitter adding Ajit Pai to the disowned list w Dinesh D’Souza and Bobby Jindal #NetNeutrality pic.twitter.com/Gfz9O7SvFX
— ananya (@__ananya) December 15, 2017
FCC chair Ajit Pai’s repealing net neutrality video is not only condescending but purposely misleading.
Sure, you COULD still do all those things online, but internet providers will be able to charge you for those things you used to do for free.
— Noah Kinsey (@thenoahkinsey) December 15, 2017