SavetheInternet.com Coalition Mows the Astroturf.

We're gearing up for Monday's launch of SaveTheInternet.com. Vint Cerf will be joining us for the press conference -- you can help get the word out and link to the coalition website by posting this ad on your website:

Just copy this html code:

<A HREF=”http://www.savetheinternet.com/”><IMG SRC=”http://www.savetheinternet.com/images/blog_image.jpg” WIDTH=”150”
HEIGHT=”200” ALT=”Save the Internet: Click here” BORDER=”0”></A>

Here are the SavetheInternet.com Coalition's Statement of Principles:

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• We believe that the Internet is a crucial engine for economic growth and democratic discourse. We urge Congress to take steps now to preserve network neutrality, a guiding principle of the Internet, and to ensure that the Internet remains open to innovation and progress.
• Network neutrality is the Internet’s First Amendment. Without it, the Internet is at risk of losing the openness and accessibility that has revolutionized democratic participation, economic innovation and free speech.
• From its beginnings, the Internet was built on a cooperative, democratic ideal. It has leveled the playing field for all comers. Everyday people can have their voices heard by thousands, even millions of people. Network neutrality has prevented gatekeepers from blocking or discriminating against new economic, political and social ideas.
• The major telecommunications legislation now under consideration in Congress must include meaningful and enforceable network neutrality requirements to keep the Internet free and open to all.

More on the Save the Interenet Coalition:

A quick heads up on a broad campaign that’s to launch on Monday.

The SavetheInternet.com Coalition is
made up of dozens of groups from across the political spectrum that have banded together to save the First Amendment of the Internet: network neutrality. No corporation or political party is funding our efforts.

Check it out:

http://www.savetheinternet.com

This is the first genuine, public interest grassroots effort to fight for network neutrality in a debate that’s become increasing crowded by talking points from so-called “Astroturfs” (see, for examples, here, here, and here) – these industry-funded, corporate sock-puppets are going out to bloggers with misleading messages about representing the public and asking them to post buttons on blogs to promote their efforts. (You may have been contacted. Don’t buy the pitch).

Here's a couple articles that are worth the read:

Libertarians Should See Net Neutrality as (Lack of) Competition Issue from Public Citizen
The zillion dollar question is, in a marketplace of "competition" between two companies—neither of which is required to offer an open Internet to their customers—will consumers and businesses have equal broadband access to the Internet as we know it?

Net Losses from The New Yorker
Without net neutrality, decisions that once were made collectively by hundreds of millions of Internet users would be shaped in large part by a handful of telecom executives.