Only neutrality will keep net free, says Franken
One of the most vocal supporters of Network Neutrality, Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota recently spoke about the issue in even starker terms, calling the fight over net neutrality the “Free Speech Issue of Our Time.”
Sen. Franken argues that if given the chance to monopolize access to higher speed, large corporations will dominate the internet, which up to this point has been an equal opportunity space. It’s why he and fellow Net Neutrality believers argue that internet providers should be reclassified as “common carriers,” subject to the same restrictions as other public utilities.
With FCC chair Tom Wheeler reportedly playing around with the idea of an internet “fast lane,” Sen. Franken says he would most likely work on counter legislation if, in fact, the FCC moves forward with the idea. He believes that at the end of the day, the idea of providing faster service for those who can pay infringes on the constitutional rights of American citizens.
“You want someone’s individual blog to travel as fast as the New York Times. It’s a first amendment issue. That should be non-partisan.”
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