300,000 Call on Google: Don’t Sell Out the Open Internet

WASHINGTON - Free
Press, MoveOn.org Civic Action, CREDO Action, the Progressive Campaign
Change Committee and ColorofChange.org today delivered petitions on
behalf of more than 300,000 people challenging Google to stand by its
"don't be evil" motto and to call off a deal with Verizon that would
jeopardize the future of the open Internet.

"Google's self-proclaimed motto is ‘don't be evil,' but
Google is about to cut a deal with Verizon that would end the Internet
as we know it," said Becky Bond, political director of
CREDO Action. "Google's corporate leadership needs to listen to its
users and return to its roots as a strong defender of Net Neutrality."

"Google has always presented itself as a different kind of corporate entity," added Justin Ruben,
executive director of MoveOn.org. "The fact that they are involved in a
deal that would kill Internet freedom directly contradicts this image.
We hope that Google will reconsider before they are seen as just another
giant corporation out to make a buck regardless of the consequence."

The massive public outcry came in response to news last week
that Verizon and Google had struck a deal that would allow Internet
service providers to charge for content carried over their networks. The
deal, which is expected to be formally announced as soon as today, also
reportedly would encourage discrimination on wireless networks and
leave the Federal Communications Commission powerless to protect
Internet users.

"It shouldn't be left to the whims of two companies to decide for the rest of us how the Internet works," said Josh Silver,
president of Free Press. "We've seen the disasters that can happen when
industry giants are left to regulate themselves. Unless we want to see
the Internet go the way of the Gulf of Mexico and AIG, our leaders in
Washington need to reject the Google-Verizon deal and get back to making
policies that truly protect Internet users and the open Internet."

Today, the groups delivered the petitions - which have
poured in since last Thursday - directly to Google's offices in
Washington, D.C.

"Within days, over 300,000 people have said no to any deal
between Google and Verizon that would destroy the free and open
Internet," said Adam Green, co-founder of the
Progressive Change Campaign Committee. "The future of free speech and
economic innovation is at stake and thousands of Progressive Change
Campaign Committee members are proud to add our names to this important
fight."

The groups will be calling on the FCC, Congress and the
White House to safeguard Net Neutrality and establish lasting
protections for free speech online.
"An open Internet, free from corporate gatekeepers, is
critical for the survival of our community's political voice," said James Rucker,
executive director of ColorofChange.org. "Neither Google, nor Verizon,
nor any corporation should be allowed to restructure the Internet just
for purposes of profit. And this is why the ColorOfChange.org community
continues to call for the FCC to protect the open Internet."