GIfC Supports Net Neutrality There is a growing threat to all American’s right to free speech as guaranteed under the First Amendment.  Large corporations such as Google, Verizon, AT&T, and Comcast are seeking to monopolize the Internet through lobbying for preferred speed and access for "some"  Internet traffic.  They are attempting to gain sole control over Internet content by instituting higher speed and bandwidth to "preferred" websites while leaving other websites at reduced speeds that will cause their content to load slowly.  In effect over time such a system will turn the Internet into a closed system like Cable TV in which only corporate interests will be able to afford to exercise free speech and commerce over the Internet, and therefore be able to control that speech and commerce. Opposition to such a system exists across the entire political spectrum as everyone that uses the Internet to exert free speech feels that this is a threat to their First Amendment rights and their ability to use the Internet to promote their causes.  The Internet was created through the investment of taxpayer dollars in the research and development conducted by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of the United States Government.  Corporations are not responsible for its existence and have no right to take it over wholesale.    It should belong to all citizens equally both as a source of content and as a platform to exercise their free speech and not simply turned over to corporations to be monopolized.   Currently both the Congress and the Federal Communications Commission have neglected to address this issue and appear to be surrendering to corporate interests.  GIfC feels strongly that it is the role of Congress and the FCC to regulate the Internet in order to insure that it provides equal access to everyone.  The alternative is an Internet in which only "self-regulating" corporate interests will be able participate. Please sign the following petitions in favor of Net Neutrality.  Following that are links to more information on the subject. Petitions: http://savetheinternet.com/fcc-comments http://civic.moveon.org/save_the_internet/ https://secure.freepress.net/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=470 http://act2.freepress.net/sign/google/ http://www.alfranken.com/index.php/splash/netneutrality_vid/ http://act.boldprogressives.org/cms/sign/petition_netneutrality_congress/ More Information: Huffington Post 8-9-2010 Network Neutrality Wikipedia Save the Internet.com Net Neutrality Youtube Common Cause TechCrunch  Open Internet Coalition Wise Geek