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Save the Internet–Again

Concerned citizens nationwide are rallying to stop the latest phone and cable company assault on Internet freedom as the Federal Communications Commission weighs new rules to protect net neutrality.

What's net neutrality exactly? Put simply, net neutrality ensures that network operators provide nondiscriminatory access to the network and online content. Think about it like this: When you make a phone call, the telephone company can't keep you from talking to whomever you want, or prevent you from talking about whatever you like or charge you more for talking to some people than others. Net neutrality applies the same operating principle to Internet communication.

Net neutrality is nothing new; these provisions have been in place since the Internet's inception. Indeed, these guidelines helped make the Internet a vehicle for technological innovation and democratic communication. But if the telephone and cable television industries have their way, net neutrality will soon be a thing of the past.

Peter Rothberg

June 12, 2007

Concerned citizens nationwide are rallying to stop the latest phone and cable company assault on Internet freedom as the Federal Communications Commission weighs new rules to protect net neutrality.

What’s net neutrality exactly? Put simply, net neutrality ensures that network operators provide nondiscriminatory access to the network and online content. Think about it like this: When you make a phone call, the telephone company can’t keep you from talking to whomever you want, or prevent you from talking about whatever you like or charge you more for talking to some people than others. Net neutrality applies the same operating principle to Internet communication.

Net neutrality is nothing new; these provisions have been in place since the Internet’s inception. Indeed, these guidelines helped make the Internet a vehicle for technological innovation and democratic communication. But if the telephone and cable television industries have their way, net neutrality will soon be a thing of the past.

Last year, more than 1.5 million Americans spoke out to stop the big phone and cable companies from killing net neutrality in Congress. Now, as industry lobbyists are pressuring the FCC to overturn the one principle that protects freedom of choice online, thousands of people have asked the FCC to keep the Internet free from phone and cable company control.

Join the fight at SavetheInternet.com–the central hub of opposition to industry lobbyists. Watch SavetheInternet’s video, let your friends know about the issue and don’t forget to tell the FCC and Congress that you expect them to represent the interests of the American public by continuing to support an open and free internet. The public comment period ends on June 15.

Peter RothbergTwitterPeter Rothberg is the The Nation’s associate publisher.


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