ACLU Commends Net Neutrality Hearing

Encourages Markey/Pickering Legislation as Step in the Right Direction

WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union commends Chairman Edward Markey (D-MA) of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet for holding a hearing today on the Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2008 (H.R. 5353), legislation designed to keep the Internet free for open discourse.

Caroline Fredrickson, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative office said, “This legislation is a good first step in protecting the Internet from blocking, censorship and discrimination by powerful phone and cable companies.” Frederickson said the hearing and the legislation are “important measures to bring net neutrality the attention it needs.” She added that the ACLU, which has been fighting for First Amendment freedoms for 87 years, encourages members of Congress and the FCC to take immediate action to safeguard free speech and innovation online. Chairman Markey authored the bill along with Rep. Chip Pickering (R-MS); Fredrickson said that the legislation is an important step in the right direction for keeping the Internet free for all Americans.

Frederickson said, “The future of the Internet as a marketplace of ideas for all users is at stake,” adding, “the Internet is too valuable a public conduit to allow it to fall prey to parochial business interests. Government should not allow a handful of giant corporations to stifle free expression on the Web for their own gain.”

The ACLU advocates that the government should put in place baseline protections that will leave the Internet open to the millions of people who use it.