Call to Action: FCC proposal on Wi-Fi

The FCC needs to hear from you about their proposal to ban Wi-Fi router firmware modifications (ET Docket No. 15-170). This proposal is problematic from several angles—it negatively impacts security and bug fixing, privacy, innovation, and more. Specifically, this proposal would ban modifications to the radio systems in routers and many phones, tablets, laptops, and other wireless devices that operate in the 5GHz range. Additionally, this proposal requires device makers to implement low-level Digital Rights Management technology that prevents users from modifying their operating systems or firmware on those devices.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (commonly known as EFF), the Free Software Foundation, Software Freedom Law Center, Software Freedom Conservancy, OpenWRT, LibreCMC, Qualcomm, and others have created the SaveWiFi campaign, providing instructions on how to submit a formal complaint to the FCC regarding this proposed rule. Ready to go? Leave a comment for the FCC. The comment period is closing on September 8, 2015.