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Today is an important day in the history of preserving a free and open Internet. The FCC
voted to proceed with a rule making to identify rules that would preserve a free and open
Internet. The Internet has been an extraordinary success for the country. It's been an engine
for economic growth, for jobs, for investment and innovation. It's been a platform for a
free flows of ideas and for creativity, it's been a platform for extraordinary consumer
choice and that's all because the Internet has been free and open.
Well, in order to ensure for the next period of time that the Internet stays free and open,
the FCC needs to take seriously challenges to that. For the last several years, the FCC
has been engaged in this issue. It adopted open Internet principles, it's enforced them
in the past - this has been helpful to making sure that we preserve a free and open Internet
and has been consistent with a great amount of investment in the Internet. It's been done
in a way that has left a degree of uncertainty and confusion about where there's a place
to go if you have a complaint about the Internet closing down in any way. There is confusion
about what exactly is consistent with a free and open Internet. There is concern that without
codifying out rules, central authorities could develop that would be able to restrict free
speech and restrict consumer choice on the Internet.
Today the FCC adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which is what it's called, that
will open the doors to input and public comment and full participation on how we can ensure
that we preserve a free and open Internet....
So what's the governmentt doing here trying to explore rules around the Internet. Well,
the first thing to understand is that this is not about regulating the Internet. That's
not what the FCC is doing, that's not what it will do. No, the FCC has traditionally
looked at the on ramp to the Internet, and the ways in which consumers and the public
get Internet access, get broadband access, and we will be focused on making sure the
on ramp to the Internet is open; that it's fair; and that consumers, entrepreneurs, businesses
small and large have the ability to get on the Internet where full freedom should flourish.
Stay tuned to OpenInternet.gov for ways that you can participate in the process, for ways
that you can comment on the draft rules. You'll get information right here on OpenInternet.gov
for the ways that you can help us get to the right answers.