Net Neutrality Under Attack – NJLA Joins the Fight
On July 12, 2017, websites, Internet users, and online communities will come together to sound the alarm about the FCC’s attack on net neutrality. Learn how you can join the protest and spread the word at https://www.battleforthenet.com/july12/.
Why Librarians Must Fight for Net Neutrality
Our longstanding commitment to freedom of expression in the realm of content is well-known; in the context of the net neutrality debate, however, we believe it is equally important to stress that the freedom of libraries and librarians to provide innovative new kinds of information services will be central to the growth and development of our democratic culture. A world where librarians and other noncommercial enterprises are limited to the Internet’s “slow lanes” while high-definition movies can obtain preferential treatment overlooks a central priority for a democratic society – the necessity of enabling educators, librarians, and, in fact, all citizens to inform themselves and each other just as much as the major commercial and media interests can inform them.
The ability of the Internet to spread and share ideas is only getting better. With modern technology, individuals and small groups can produce rich audio and video resources that used to be the exclusive domain of large companies. We must work to ensure that these resources are not relegated to second-class delivery on the Internet—or else the intellectual freedoms fostered by the Internet will be constrained.
Why now? Right now, new FCC Chairman and former Verizon lawyer Ajit Pai has a plan to destroy net neutrality and give big cable companies immense control over what we see and do online. If they get their way, the FCC will give companies like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T control over what we can see and do on the Internet, with the power to slow down or block websites and charge apps and sites extra fees to reach an audience.
But on July 12th, the Internet will come together to stop them. Websites, Internet users, and online communities will stand tall, and sound the alarm about the FCC’s attack on net neutrality.
The Battle for the Net campaign will provide tools for everyone to make it super easy for your friends, family, followers to take action.
NJLA joins ALA and countless other organizations across our country to protest these plans to dismantle net neutrality by participating in the Battle for the Net on July 12th. Please join us.
Please also consider filing comments with the FCC opposing plans to dismantle net neutrality. You can find guidance on how to do so at: https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/blogs/the-scoop/help-save-internet-fairness-net-neutrality/
Learn more and join the action here: https://www.battleforthenet.com/july12