Poll: 75% of Trump supporters back net neutrality
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In a national poll of 1,500 voters, 70% of respondents — including Democrats, Republicans and Trump supporters — think the internet has improved while net neutrality rules have been in place.
Why it matters: While it won't change FCC Chairman Pai's mind about reversing the rules, the high number of Trump voters who support net neutrality regulations could get some attention. Showing broad backing helps make the case that support for the net neutrality rules is an issue that resonates outside of the coastal bubbles most associated with tech. That's a message net neutrality advocates hope to send to conservatives as they fight an uphill battle to preserve the rules.
A few other stats:
- 86% of all voters say ISPs should treat all websites and content equally.
- 75% of Trump supporters said they agreed that ISPs should continue to follow net neutrality rules prohibiting slowing or blocking websites or video services.
- 58% of Republicans and Trump voters agreed with the statement, "Internet should be treated like any other utility such as gas or electric service."
The poll, conducted by Republican pollster Bryan Sanders at IMGE and commissioned by industry trade group INCOMPAS, will be released this morning in an effort to show Republican policymakers that the issue isn't as partisan and divisive as they make it out to be and that, in reality, there's broad support among both parties for net neutrality principles. Read the poll results.
"This is no longer a Silicon Valley vs ISP issue," said Chip Pickering CEO of INCOMPAS, whose members include Facebook, Twitter and Netflix. "Every business everywhere is dependent on an open Internet...and there's not support for what the FCC is proposing that would undo these principles."
