| The Internet Freedom Preservation Act is designed to prevent the largest Internet Service Providers from creating a multi-tiered by charging premiums for certain content. Net Neutrality is getting a lot of attention in Washington as legislators and federal regulators are beginning to better understand the inherent dangers in allowing the major broadband providers to self-regulate their transmission fees.
"Today's reintroduction of the Internet Freedom Preservation Act marks another step toward ensuring the fate of the Internet lies in the hands of its users and not the hands of a few gatekeepers. The tide has turned in the debate between those who seek to maintain equality and those who would benefit from the creation of a toll road on the Internet super highway. The reintroduction of this legislation and the FCC's imposition of net neutrality conditions as part of the AT&T-BellSouth merger, are significant victories in the fight to ensure nondiscrimination on the Internet, and I look forward to continuing that fight along side Senator Dorgan in the new Congress." Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) (source: Press Release from Sen. Snowe
When AT&T's merger with Bell South was approved in late December 2006, the FCC forced AT&T to agree to abide by a set of rules regarding net neutrality. According to the agreement, which expires in two years time, AT&T must not, "... provide or to sell to Internet content, application, or service providers, including those affiliated with AT&T/BellSouth, any service that privileges, degrades or prioritizes any packet transmitted over AT&T/BellSouth's wireline broadband Internet access service based on its source, ownership or destination."
The bill's cosponsor, Senator Dorgan says the bill is designed to live up to its name and preserve freedom (of commerce) on the Internet,
“... fundamentally change the way the Internet has operated and threatens to derail the democratic nature of the Internet,” U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) said. “The Internet became a robust engine of economic development by enabling anyone with a good idea to connect to consumers and compete on a level playing field. The marketplace picked winners and losers, not some central gatekeeper. That freedom – the very core of what makes the Internet what it is today – must be preserved.”
In addition to Dorgan and Snowe, co-sponsors include Senators John Kerry (D-MA), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Hillary Clinton (D-NY), and Barack Obama (D-IL).
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