We the People Response: Reaffirming the White House's Commitment to Net Neutrality

[ProSense]

We the People Response: Reaffirming the White House's Commitment to Net Neutrality

Ed. note: Earlier today, the White House issued its response to a We the People petition on net neutrality. You can read it below, or see the response here.

Thank you to everyone who has signed on to this petition in support of a free and open Internet. Since his days as a United States Senator, President Obama has embraced the principle of net neutrality. As the President recently noted, his campaign for the White House was empowered by an open Internet; it allowed millions of supporters to interact with the President and each other in unprecedented fashion. That experience helped give rise to the creation of this very platform -- the We The People website -- where Americans can express their opinions on any topic and receive a response from the White House. Rights of free speech, and the free flow of information, are central to our society and economy -- and the principle of net neutrality gives every American an equal and meaningful opportunity to participate in both. Indeed, an open Internet is an engine for freedom around the world.

Preserving an open Internet is vital not to just to the free flow of information, but also to promoting innovation and economic productivity. Because of its openness, the Internet has allowed entrepreneurs -- with just a small amount of seed money or a modest grant -- to take their innovative ideas from the garage or the dorm room to every corner of the Earth, building companies, creating jobs, improving vital services, and fostering even more innovation along the way.

Absent net neutrality, the Internet could turn into a high-priced private toll road that would be inaccessible to the next generation of visionaries. The resulting decline in the development of advanced online apps and services would dampen demand for broadband and ultimately discourage investment in broadband infrastructure. An open Internet removes barriers to investment worldwide.

A wide spectrum of stakeholders and policymakers recognize the importance of these principles. In the wake of last month's court decision, it was encouraging to hear major broadband providers assert their commitment to an open Internet.

It was also encouraging to see Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler, whom the President appointed to that post last year, reaffirm his commitment to a free and open Internet and pledge to use the authority granted by Congress to maintain a free and open Internet. The White House strongly supports the FCC and Chairman Wheeler in this effort.

The petition asked that the President direct the FCC to reclassify Internet service providers as "common carriers" which, if upheld, would give the FCC a distinct set of regulatory tools to promote net neutrality. The FCC is an independent agency. Chairman Wheeler has publicly pledged to use the full authority granted by Congress to maintain a robust, free and open Internet -- a principle that this White House vigorously supports.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/02/17/we-people-response-reaffirming-white-houses-commitment-net-neutrality

[ProSense]

1. Kick! n/t

[frazzled]

2. I think what needs to be underlined is ...

in the last paragraph. The president gets to appoint members of independent agencies like the FCC, but he (or she) can NOT direct them to do anything. Fortunately, it seems true that Wheeler will fight to retain net neutrality, given the recent statements he made that the Washington Post called his "strongest endorsement yet of net neutrality."

"Public policy should protect the great driving force of the open Internet: how it allows innovation without permission," said Wheeler. "This is why it is essential that the FCC continue to maintain an open Internet and maintain the legal ability to intervene promptly and effectively in the event of aggravated circumstances."

That's the clearest statement the new chairman has made on the topic of network neutrality. Wheeler's expressed support for the policy before. But he's mostly done so in the kind of pro forma way you'd expect any bureaucrat to behave when confronted with a rule he's inherited.

Now he's saying that trusting businesses to ensure an open Internet isn't a reliable strategy by itself — and that the regulations have their own role to play in that process.

By staking out an active position on how he thinks the rules ought to work, the chairman has now indicated his willingness to defend his agency's Internet regulations on the merits. That's significant, as the FCC's net neutrality rules are currently under legal challenge by Verizon, which argues the FCC lacks the jurisdiction to regulate broadband services.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/01/09/fcc-chairman-offers-his-strongest-endorsement-yet-of-net-neutrality/

[ProSense]

3. Thanks for adding that. n/t