Apr.26.– Some big thinkers dare to dream that digital innovations will produce ideal political transformations. In particular, many of our smartest people think participatory democracy will emerge only via the internet.
The basic idea is that people will get their information from the internet, discuss issues on the internet, form political alliances on the internet, and finally vote, all while sitting in front of a computer. Is this a feasible future?
Washington DC, March 8.– Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) joined House and Senate colleagues in introducing legislation to restore a free and open internet. The legislation would overturn a 2017 move by the Trump administration's Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that gutted net neutrality protections enacted by the Obama Administration.
In a joint statement, Leahy, Sanders, and Welch said: "A free and open internet is essential to our economy, a free flow of ideas, creativity, and participatory democracy. The Administration's decision to repeal net neutrality is bad for our democracy and bad for consumers and entrepreneurs, especially in rural areas, and a gift to the big telecom companies who can now pick and choose who has access to the internet and at what speed. Our legislation will reverse this anti-consumer move and ensure that the internet remains open and accessible to all Americans."
Feb. 27 (DP.net).– Early last year we sound a warning bell about the real danger of losing WEB neutrality as a result of the huge blow dealt by the FCC when it passed new rules against the open Internet Americans have enjoyed since its inception. For this purpose we published in January 2018 a campaign to collect signatures sponsored by Consumer Union that was quite successful but it was not enough to stop that nonsense (read it HERE).
However, a year after net neutrality was repealed, Americans finally have some momentum in the fight to keep the Internet free.
It is critical that all Americans continue to call for major protections that will make sure all content is treated equally and keep the Internet fast, FREE and fair for everyone. Small businesses, consumers and non-profits could still suffer massive impacts resulting from such unfair rules.