1. IT IS THE RIGHT BILL FOR RIGHT NOW.
There is an urgent need for legislation that protects against efforts by phone and cable companies to block the free flow of information online. Recent examples include Comcast blocking peer-to-peer applications; Verizon censoring NARAL's text messages; and AT&T's plans to start filtering all Internet traffic for copyright violations. We must send a strong and clear message that telco and cable discrimination will no longer be tolerated.
2. THE BILL MAKES NET NEUTRALITY THE LAW OF THE LAND.
The bill is a major first step in a forward-thinking communications policy. It modernizes the Communications Act -- the foundation of media policy -- to ensure that Net Neutrality protections apply to new broadband services, just as they did to dial-up. It ensures that economic innovation, democratic participation and free speech will continue to flourish on the Internet by stopping would-be gatekeepers from discriminatory blocking or interfering with content. It gives the FCC a clear mandate to protect Net Neutrality everywhere.
3. THE BILL OPENS UP A NATIONAL CONVERSATION.
It calls for a nationwide series of public hearings. For too long, communications policy has been made behind closed doors without public input. By taking the debate beyond the Beltway, we have a unique, grassroots opportunity to tell Congress that high-priced phone and cable lobbyists will no longer set the agenda.
Hi all. I actually wrote that article for my blog MediaCitizen. How it ended up on Progressive Trail is beyond me. I submitted it to SlashDot but, as with everything else I have written it too was rejected. hmmmmmm . . . .
I'm pleased your reading it now and providing intelligent repartee. You might be interested in my sock puppet report there as well. We have just published a separate report debunking the lies of these coin-operated think tanks at Free Press. Check it out.
Slashdot Mirror
1. IT IS THE RIGHT BILL FOR RIGHT NOW.
There is an urgent need for legislation that protects against efforts by phone and cable companies to block the free flow of information online. Recent examples include Comcast blocking peer-to-peer applications; Verizon censoring NARAL's text messages; and AT&T's plans to start filtering all Internet traffic for copyright violations. We must send a strong and clear message that telco and cable discrimination will no longer be tolerated.
2. THE BILL MAKES NET NEUTRALITY THE LAW OF THE LAND.
The bill is a major first step in a forward-thinking communications policy. It modernizes the Communications Act -- the foundation of media policy -- to ensure that Net Neutrality protections apply to new broadband services, just as they did to dial-up. It ensures that economic innovation, democratic participation and free speech will continue to flourish on the Internet by stopping would-be gatekeepers from discriminatory blocking or interfering with content. It gives the FCC a clear mandate to protect Net Neutrality everywhere.
3. THE BILL OPENS UP A NATIONAL CONVERSATION.
It calls for a nationwide series of public hearings. For too long, communications policy has been made behind closed doors without public input. By taking the debate beyond the Beltway, we have a unique, grassroots opportunity to tell Congress that high-priced phone and cable lobbyists will no longer set the agenda.
Hi all. I actually wrote that article for my blog MediaCitizen. How it ended up on Progressive Trail is beyond me. I submitted it to SlashDot but, as with everything else I have written it too was rejected. hmmmmmm . . . . I'm pleased your reading it now and providing intelligent repartee. You might be interested in my sock puppet report there as well. We have just published a separate report debunking the lies of these coin-operated think tanks at Free Press. Check it out.