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Groups backed by Facebook, Alphabet, Amazon push for return of net neutrality rules

This comes after 22 states and the District of Columbia filed a similar brief last week.

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Roger Cheng
2 min read
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Net neutrality supporters are on the move. 

Sarah Tew/CNET

The fight to save net neutrality is still alive. 

On Monday, the Internet Association, Entertainment Software Association, the Computer & Communications Industry Association and the Writers Guild of America filed a brief with a US Appeals Court in support of Mozilla's lawsuit against the Federal Communications Commission to bring back the rules governing an open internet. The groups represent power players such as Google parent Alphabet, Facebook and Amazon. 

"It's indisputable that net neutrality protections help consumers, promote innovation, and foster competition online," said IA President and CEO Michael Beckerman in a statement

Watch this: Beer helps explain battle brewing over net neutrality

This comes a week after attorneys general of 22 states and the District of Columbia filed a brief urging the same court to reverse the FCC rollback, according to CBS News. The move was followed by companies like Mozilla, which filed its own brief, as well as groups like the Open Technology Institute. 

"Our brief details the many ways in which the FCC failed to heed the voices of millions of Americans who support strong, enforceable net neutrality protections." said Sarah Morris, director of policy at Open Technology Institute.

The wave of support underscores the notion that while the  net neutrality  rules are gone, the push to bring them back isn't. The FCC, under Chairman Ajit Pai, passed the repeal in December. The decision has been unpopular with many consumers but has the backing of Republican lawmakers and internet service providers. 

While the lawsuit isn't new -- it was originally filed in January -- the briefs offer a glimpse into what the arguments for the case will be. 

The attorneys general of New York, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and the District of Columbia participated in the filing.

The FCC declined to comment about the original filings from last week and the newest filings. 

First published Aug. 21 at 9:48 a.m. PT. 
Update, Aug. 27 at 9:21 a.m. PT.  Adds a filing from several internet trade groups. 

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