December, 15 2008, 12:49pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Jen Howard, Free Press, (202) 265-1490 x22 or (703) 517-6273
Free Press: Net Neutrality Not Going Away
WASHINGTON
Today, the Wall Street Journal reported that Internet giant Google intends to abandon Net Neutrality and create a fast lane for its own content.
In a blog post last night,
Google disputed these allegations, maintaining, "Google remains
strongly committed to the principle of Net Neutrality, and we will
continue to work with policymakers in the years ahead to keep the
Internet free and open."
Josh Silver, executive director of Free Press, issued the following statement:
"With the strong support of President-elect Barack Obama and the
new Congress, this is the moment when Net Neutrality has its greatest
appeal, clearest need and best chance of becoming law.
"We are skeptical that Google is truly engaged in a nefarious
plot to undermine the open Internet -- the company denies it, and we
look forward to all of the facts coming to light. If Google or any
other company is planning to secretly violate Net Neutrality, they will
find themselves facing the same vigorous opposition from the Internet
community against those -- like Comcast and AT&T -- that have
threatened the open Internet.
"President-elect Obama gets it. His use of the Internet in his
campaign is now legendary. Obama's support for Net Neutrality -- both
through his policy agenda and public statements that he will take a
backseat to no one -- is among the clearest and most straightforward we
have from any politician.
"Net Neutrality is much bigger than Google. It is bigger than
any one company. It is about every Internet user and the power to
choose what to do online without permission or influence from Google,
Comcast, the government or anyone else. The simple value of a
user-controlled Internet is why Net Neutrality is not going away."
Read the SavetheInternet.com blog post: https://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/2008/12/15/net-neutrality-in-the-front-seat/
Read Obama's tech agenda: https://www.barackobama.com/pdf/issues/technology/Fact_Sheet_Innovation_and_Technology.pdf
Read 2009 Media & Tech Priorities: A Public Interest Agenda: https://www.freepress.net/files/2009techpolicy.pdf
Free Press was created to give people a voice in the crucial decisions that shape our media. We believe that positive social change, racial justice and meaningful engagement in public life require equitable access to technology, diverse and independent ownership of media platforms, and journalism that holds leaders accountable and tells people what's actually happening in their communities.
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