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Standing Up To Powerful Interests

Internet Freedom

 

What's New

Despite our efforts, the U.S. House recently approved legislation that would allow the telephone and cable companies to limit our Internet access by deciding who and what gets priority. If they succeed in enacting their preferred legislation, you might not be able to surf the Web sites you like because they’d been relegated to a new, slow lane.

In November, the U.S. Senate may act on a similar bill that’s already been approved in the Senate Commerce Committee. Neither bill keeps the Internet free of telephone and cable company tollbooths.

Overview

Everyone has a favorite internet site. Maybe it’s a local events site, or a blog, or a small online magazine. Whatever the content, it's important to us that our web use is easy and unhindered, and that websites put up by individuals, nonprofits and small groups are as accessible as those maintained by big corporations.

Now, however, the largest telephone and cable companies are trying to limit our internet access by deciding who and what gets priority. Their plan is to force Web site operators to pay a premium for faster service even though it costs providers nothing to give everyone equal access.

Senators still have the opportunity to preserve what’s called internet neutrality. ConnPIRG has joined a diverse coalition of concerned organizations in urging the Senate to keep our internet free and open. Every American has the right to enjoy all the benefits that the internet has to offer. ConnPIRG is working to make sure that right is protected.


Rep. Ed Markey (Mass.) and Moby (left) at our press conference for net neutrality. The Internet is threatened by telecommunications giants who seek to become the gatekeepers with the ability to dictate who can use the Internet, for what purpose, and at what cost.

 

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