Campaign for Net Neutrality Receives Webby Awards-Best Activism Web Site/Best Public Service Video

[babylonsister]

http://www.commondreams.org/news2007/0501-10.htm

SavetheInternet.com Wins 'Oscar of the Internet'

Campaign for Net Neutrality Receives Webby Awards for Best Activism Web Site and Best Public Service Video


WASHINGTON - May 1 – The SavetheInternet.com Coalition today won two prestigious Webby awards in recognition of the historic grassroots campaign to protect Net Neutrality -- the fundamental principle that prevents phone and cable companies from discriminating against online content based on its source, destination or ownership. Hailed as the "Oscars of the Internet" by the New York Times, the Webby is the leading international award honoring Web sites, online film and video, interactive advertising and mobile content.

"This vote for SavetheInternet.com is also a vote for the millions of Americans who came online and took action last year to stop phone and cable companies from seizing control of our freedom of choice on the Internet," said Timothy Karr, campaign director of Free Press, the nonpartisan group that coordinates the SavetheInternet.com Coalition. "While we're honored to be recognized for this important work, the fight for Net Neutrality is far from over."

The Webby awards -- ironically, sponsored in part by phone giant Verizon Communications -- will be handed to SavetheInternet.com during ceremonies in New York City on June 5. SavetheInternet.com was awarded "Best Activism Web Site" and Save the Internet: Independence Day, a YouTube favorite, won for "Best Public Service Video”. Both awards fell under the “People’s Voice” category, where winners were determined by hundreds of thousands of votes from all over the world.

"It feels great to have produced a site that's had such a huge impact on so many people," said SavetheInternet.com’s designer Ben Byrne. "But the credit needs to go to the millions of activists who have used the Internet to save the Internet."

"Thanks to the efforts of this broad coalition, the issue of Net Neutrality has moved from an obscure technical topic to become the most hotly debated issue concerning the Internet today," said Matt Thompson, director of SavetheInternet.com's Independence Day video. "This isn't just a technical issue involving large companies; it speaks to the democratic values that are at the heart of the American dream."

For more information on SavetheInternet.com's grassroots efforts, see: http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/2007/04/25/neutrality-supporters-swarm-congress-in-spring-07/

For regular updates, please visit www.SavetheInternet.com

[blogslut]

1. Good

Right on to the Webby's