Internet activists are gearing up for another battle in Washington after lawmakers introduced a bill this week that could block equal access to the Internet. The move comes on the heels of a proposal by new FCC chairman Ajit Pai to roll back net-neutrality rules put in place two years ago. Evan Greer, an organizer behind the BattleForTheNet.com website, says Pai - a former lobbyist for Verizon - wants to dismantle protections that millions fought for over the past several years.

"What he wants to do is allow companies like Comcast, Verizon and AT&T to slow down, censor websites, or charge websites for access to a fast lane while sticking the rest of us in a slow lane."

He says the move would effectively turn the Internet into cable TV, where the only voices you hear are big companies that can afford to pay. Pai says it was a mistake to classify the Internet as a common carrier service, like the telephone, and Verizon and AT&T support Pai's proposal. Greer argues net neutrality depends on public-utility classification, and notes the Internet is no longer a luxury but a critical communication tool necessary for education, employment and civic engagement.