Common Cause would like to thank the sponsors of the bipartisan "Internet Freedom Preservation Act 2008" (HR 5353) introduced yesterday by Reps. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Chip Pickering (R-Miss.). This legislation would protect "Network Neutrality" which is integral to the internet and other new communications technologies being a powerful tool for democracy.

Today, the average person with an internet connection has greater ability to speak their mind and participate in our democracy than ever before. Politicians spread their message and raise money at light-speed; organizations concerned about issues can alert their members to take action in an instant; citizens can learn more about issues than they ever dreamed of, and then they can discuss these issues and ideas with people from all over the globe.

All of this could be harmed if the principle of net neutrality is not protected. As a result of a 2005 decision by the Federal Communications Commission, net neutrality principles that have been in place since the inception of the internet were put in jeopardy.  

Net neutrality ensures that internet service and other communication network providers don't censor certain content because they disagree with the message or discriminate against certain content providers.   Already, Network providers have begun to engage in content and user discrimination Last year, AT&T censored an online concert by rock band Pearl Jam when the lead singer criticized President Bush. Comcast has admitted to degrading certain online communications without informing its customers and in the past has been accused of censoring political emails. Verizon prevented text messages from NARAL from going to customers who had requested the messages on the basis that Verizon thought they were "controversial."

Net neutrality means a free and open internet and the freedom to choose what content you read and what applications you use. The internet has always been an arena of democracy where every person could speak up and be heard and Congress can ensure this is protected by supporting the Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2008.

Today is the final day that the FCC will be accepting comments from the public on the issue of net neutrality. It's critical that we protect the freedom and openness that have been the hallmark of the Internet.

Please send a message to the FCC today. If you use the Internet to shop, to work, to blog, to operate your small business, to keep in touch with your friends and family, to find information -- tell the FCC that you want this free and diverse medium to remain in the hands of the people, not controlled by big telecom corporations.

Don't miss this chance. Stand up for net neutrality today. Thanks.

I am pleased to report that Maine, whose motto is "Dirigo" which is  Latin for "I lead", is now the first state in the nation to make a strong stand in support of net neutrality!

Today the Maine State Senate gave final passage to a resolve that first states how important the issue of net neutrality is to Maine consumers, democracy and the economy, then directs the State Office of the Public Advocate to study whether or not Maine has legal jurisdiction to pass net neutrality protections and to analyze the impact the issue has on Mainers.

We at Common Cause worked hard on this issue over the last few months with some terrific allies. The MCLU did a huge amount of work on this bill, so I want to single them out for thanks. In addition, we could not have done this without support from the Community Television Association of Maine, the League of Young Voters, Lance Dutson, Fletcher Kittredge, MoveOn.org and the SaveTheInternet.com coalition. Plus there are many others who did their part by sending messages to legislators, providing testimony, and just getting the word out about this measure.

This sends a message to Congress that people really do care about net neutrality, and it is time for Congress to take action!

You can find the full text of the resolution here.

Check out Senator Stevens' definition of the Internet, as seen on The Daily Show.

Should this guy really be making telecommunications policy?

We've been working on the net neutrality issue - a threat to internet freedom. Here's another warning about the future of the internet from a guy I know and respect, Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy.

An interesting piece in the WaPo talked about how consumers are airing complaints about products and services on website, blogs, and other online forums - shaming the companies into responding. Sounds great, but just as powerful telecoms are fighting to control the internet, wealthy corporations have the resources to squelch this form of consumer protest:

The Nebraska Broadband Task Force has held its third meeting.  The task force was given $200,000 and two years to study broadband access and to decide what role government entities should be allowed play. The report is due in December 2006 and there are only four more meetings planned.

Most of the discussion has revolved around defining related terms and whether broadband service provided by government entities presented unfair competition for the private sector. After a number of articles and letters in the press describing the lack of broadband service in rural and urban areas the discussion began to move toward public and private partnerships. There is a great deal more to be discussed and very little time to find a solution.

Common Cause Nebraska believes LB645, the bill creating a prohibition on public entities offering broadband service, should be repealed. If the private sector can not or will not provide state wide service at a reasonable price then the public sector needs to step in. Why should underserved citizen and business interests be forced to pay two and three times the price for high speed computer service?

I've had a lot of people say to me lately, "I'm hearing more and more about net neutrality, but I don't really understand what any of it means."

Here it is: Net neutrality is Internet freedom. It is a guiding principle that has kept the Internet open and accessible to everyone since the Internet's inception. And it's in jeopardy.

Net neutrality has always governed the Internet, but it's going to go away later this summer unless Congress acts to protect it.  (For a good explanation of the history, please read Harold Feld's blog.)

This is a critical time. Tell Congress to support strong net neutrality provisions to the telecom reform bill they will consider later this week.

There's a lot of good information out there if you want to read up on this issue. But the most important thing to do is to act. Call or email your Congressman today.