Obama Reiterates Support For Net Neutrality
During a question-and-answer session broadcast on YouTube, President Obama Monday reiterated his support for network neutrality and promised to continue to push for a policy that would prohibit broadband providers from being able to prioritize Internet content. Among the more than 11,000 questions submitted, as of Sunday, for the YouTube interview session was one from James Earlywine of Indianapolis, who asked what the president's commitment was to "keeping the Internet open and neutral in America."
In response, Obama said, "I'm a big believer in net neutrality. I campaigned on this. I continue to be a strong supporter of it." He added that FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski shares his view that "we don't want to create a bunch of gateways that prevent somebody who doesn't have a lot of money but has a good idea from being able to start their next YouTube or their next Google on the Internet."
Genachowski proposed in September that voluntary net neutrality guidelines be expanded to bar network operators from engaging in discriminatory behavior, require more disclosure about network management practices and subject violators to stepped up enforcement.
Obama noted that the administration is getting "pushback, obviously, from some of the bigger carriers who would like to be able to charge more fees and extract more money from wealthier customers. But we think that runs counter to the whole spirit of openness that has made the Internet such a powerful engine for not only economic growth, but also for the generation of ideas and creativity."
Timothy Karr of Free Press and SavetheInternet.com said in a statement that the public backing for net neutrality indicated by the support for the YouTube question on the issue and in the thousands of comments submitted to the FCC are "proof that the American people expect this administration to safeguard the open Internet once and for all."
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Net Neutrality
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