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Cybersecurity & Standards, Open Internet

Letter to FCC on Preserving and Protecting the Open Internet

The Center for Democracy & Technology and the American Libraries Association sent a letter to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and the FCC Commissioners supporting efforts to preserve and protect the open Internet.

The letter states:

Our organizations appreciate your efforts to protect and promote an open Internet. We believe that the Internet should be preserved as a decentralized platform for free speech, innovation, education, learning and research.

We believe that Title II and Section 706 both provide legal authority for the Commission to adopt strong open Internet protections that respect judicial precedents and that are flexible enough to accommodate the dynamic nature of the broadband marketplace. Classifying public broadband Internet access service as a Title II “common carrier” service would ensure the broader public interest goals of an open Internet are met, while providing the FCC with the flexibility to adapt and tailor its regulations to fit the market. Treating broadband Internet access service as common carriage is a legally sustainable approach that would ensure that providers will not be able to block Internet traffic or engage in unreasonable discrimination against or in favor of any particular content, application or service. 

The full letter is available as a PDF.