For Immediate Release
Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
Backroom Corporate Deals Won’t Protect Net Neutrality
Free Press Calls on FCC to Act Before Industry Players Carve up the Open Internet
WASHINGTON - The Wall Street Journal reports
that "broadband and telecommunications lobbyists restarted talks
Wednesday to agree to a proposal for how Internet traffic should be
managed." The talks are being held at the offices of the Information
Technology Industry Council, a lobbying group that represents dozens of
technology companies.
Free Press Policy Counsel Aparna Sridhar made the following statement:
"Industry deal-making is no substitute for responsible
policymaking. This latest effort by a few large companies to dictate
the rules behind closed doors will not protect Internet users. Industry
titans will propose rules that serve only their own interests. The
uproar over the Verizon-Google deal leaves no room for doubt that the
public rejects these secretive negotiations - and so should the FCC.
"It's time for the FCC to take back its role as a
policymaking body and act quickly to re-establish its authority over
broadband and to adopt meaningful rules to protect the openness of the
Internet for all Americans."
This is the world we live in. This is the world we cover.
Because of people like you, another world is possible. There are many battles to be won, but we will battle them together—all of us. Common Dreams is not your normal news site. We don't survive on clicks. We don't want advertising dollars. We want the world to be a better place. But we can't do it alone. It doesn't work that way. We need you. If you can help today—because every gift of every size matters—please do. Without Your Support We Won't Exist.
Please select a donation method:
Free Press is a national, nonpartisan organization working to reform the media. Through education, organizing and advocacy, we promote diverse and independent media ownership, strong public media, and universal access to communications. Learn more at www.freepress.net