Thursday, December 23, 2010

FCC Net Neutrality Vote is Bad News


This is Writers Guild of America East's statement regarding the FCC’s vote on Net Neutrality:

“A compromise means the parties to a dispute reach agreement. Here, no one has agreed to anything. These tepid rules will be challenged in court and in Congress, and they fail in the most fundamental ways - permitting paid prioritization and all manner of discrimination in wireless."

"Our members write most of what people watch on television and in the movie theaters and increasingly, online. Today’s FCC vote will diminish our members’ ability to create and distribute innovative content and audiences’ ability to watch the content of their choice.”

"The Guild remains dedicated to the open internet fight and other policy initiatives that are vital to our members."

For now, consider sending Net Neutrality champion (and WGAE member), Senator Al Franken a message via our friends at Credo Action.

Sen. Al Franken has been a true champion in our fight for a free and open Internet. Even as the FCC has failed to seize their historic opportunity and implement real net neutrality rules, Sen. Franken's advocacy deserves special recognition.


Julius Genachowski, Chair of the Federal Communication Commission and appointed by President Obama, worked closely with big telecommunication corporations to put in place fake net neutrality rules that heavily favor industry and are bad for consumers.

The new rules are actually worse than doing nothing to protect net neutrality as they allow mobile networks to block lawful content and allow "paid prioritization." Even worse, the FCC failed to reclassify broadband under Title II, so even meager protections are sure to be thrown out by the courts.

Sen. Franken has consistently championed net neutrality as the greatest free speech issue of our generation. He has been a vocal advocate taking on big corporations, the FCC and even President Obama. When elected officials like Sen. Franken stand up for what is right -- even when we lose a battle like this one -- they deserve our thanks.

Send Sen. Franken a quick thank you note for standing up for a free and open internet and tell him we'll continue to fight with him until real net neutrality is achieved.


Click here to thank him for keeping up the fight.

Keep in touch in the new year.

Sincerely,

Lowell Peterson

No comments: