Library Stuff

WSJ – “A senior House Republican on Tuesday asked Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski to stop a commission vote, slated for Thursday, on proposed open Internet rules. House Energy and Commerce Ranking Republican Joe Barton of Texas said in a letter to Genachowski that the rules could have “potentially catastrophic effects on investment and deployment of broadband services throughout the country.”

Save The Internet – “Today’s artists use their web presence not only to sell music and merchandise, but also an amazing array of innovative content — all without interference from gatekeepers. Contrast this with the traditional music industry, where artists required significant financial backing to reach potential listeners. But without Net Neutrality, all this — and many other things we’ve come to take for granted online — could be in jeopardy.”

Save The Internet – “AT&T has “asked” its employees to fake it in the fight against Net Neutrality. The company’s top policy officer sent a memo to workers on Monday urging them to hide their company affiliation before posting anti-Net Neutrality comments at the FCC’s interactive Web site.”

More here

Oh, fantastic. Way to go AT&T.

AP – “With Democrats in charge in Washington, supporters of so-called “net neutrality” rules seem poised to finally push through requirements that high-speed Internet providers give equal treatment to all data flowing over their networks.”

See also – Facebook and Twitter Founders Join Net-Neutrality Wars

WSJ – “Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski is proposing that the agency apply tougher open-Internet rules broadly, raising concerns of cable and phone companies and some lawmakers that the government could try to control efforts to offer products such as digital cable or premium business services.”

Save The Internet – “Free Press and SavetheInternet.com on Tuesday released a brief exposing the many myths that phone and cable companies are spreading about Net Neutrality.”

Read the brief

More here

USA Today – “Kevin Martin, former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, says he endorses the FCC’s current push to turn “net neutrality” guidelines into hard rules. Marin, who just joined the law firm of Patton Boggs in Washington, D.C., laid the foundation for the current national discussion on net neutrality, which holds, generally, that all Internet content should be treated fairly.”

Freedom to Tinker – “[N]et neutrality advocates in Congress are pondering new legislation for two reasons: There is a debate about whether the FCC currently has enough authority to enforce a net neutrality rule, and regardless of whether the Commission has such authority today or doesn’t, some would rather see net neutrality rules etched into statute than leave them to the uncertainties of the rulemaking process under this and future Commissions.”

CNET – “As expected, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski outlined a plan to keep the Internet open during a speech given at the Brookings Institute Monday. In his speech, Genachowski proposed that the FCC make its four principles of Network openness official regulation. And he suggested that the FCC add two more “principles” as part of these new rules.”

Read the remarks here and a blog post here

See also, OpenInternet.gov

Also, more news from AP

And this blog post, from David L. Cohen, Exec VP of Comcast (Thanks Simon!)

CNET – “Net neutrality supporters got a boost Thursday when Chairman of the House Energy & Commerce Committee Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) said he had added himself as a co-sponsor to the Net neutrality bill introduced by Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.). The House Energy & Commerce Committee oversees the Federal Communications Commission. Waxman said during a hearing for the subcommittee Thursday that it was time to make sure rules were imposed to keep the Internet open.”

More here

View the participants statements, including those of Henry Waxman, here.