June, 15 2010, 04:05pm EDT
New SavetheInternet.com Video Showcases Internet Celebrities to Highlight Importance of Net Neutrality
WASHINGTON
In a new video released today, a group of Internet celebrities with
millions of online viewers and followers added their voices to the fight
for the free and open Internet.
The video made for SavetheInternet.com, in conjunction with the Harry Potter Alliance,
features John and Hank Green, a.k.a. the "vlogbrothers"; actor and blogger Wil Wheaton;
Maureen
Johnson, a New York Times bestselling
author for young adults; Shawn Ahmed from the UnculturedProject;
musicians and video bloggers Kristina Horner and Luke
Conard; and Adam Savage from the popular
cable TV science show Mythbusters. In the video, they all urge the Federal
Communications Commission to take action to protect Net Neutrality and
preserve the open Internet.
"I care about Net Neutrality and saving the Internet because I've
worked in developing countries where the government can block, censor or
slow down access to specific online content for religious, political or
special interests, and that is not the direction I want America to go,"
said Ahmed, whose videos about global poverty are
among the most viewed on YouTube.
"Our voices, our ideas, our videos, our writings and all of our other
online creations are yet another natural resource best not left in
corporate hands," said Johnson, the author who was also
named Mashable's "Most Interesting Twitter User to Follow."
"A new wave of Internet celebrities is using the Internet like never
before," said Josh Levy, online campaign manager of
Free Press, which coordinates SavetheInternet.com. "Authors connect to readers; musicians connect to
listeners; and documentarians use the Web as a platform for projects
ranging from social justice to sports. The participants in this video
are naturally passionate about Net Neutrality, because they all relied
on the open Internet to become who they are today."
Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grVeOqsm2D0
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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