Consumers Union Writes Letter to Members of Congress Urging Net Neutrality

The non-profit advocacy group Consumers Union on Wednesday issued a letter to members of Congress commending the Federal Communications Commission for its efforts to enact stricter Net Neutrality rules. The letter said that the Internet has been governed by principles of openness and consumer choice from its inception.

“Consumers have had unfettered access to newly developed content and ideas, and their preferences and choices have determined whether a website, application, or service succeeded or failed,” wrote Joel Kelsey, policy analyst, and Alex Chasick, senior fellow

The letter said that such freedom is being threatened, as internet service providers impose restrictions blunting competition and stifle innovation online.

“ISPs are implementing traffic throttling schemes that allow them to determine when, how quickly, or even if a consumer may access certain lawful content,” the letter read. “Under these schemes, ISPs have blocked consumers from using their computers to make phone calls, from sharing legally acquired and distributable media content, and even from accessing certain political content.”

“We were glad to see FCC Chairman [Julius] Genachowski announce plans for the FCC to codify the agency’s four Internet principles through an official rule-making process to establish clear rules of the road on what transparent network management is, and what is discrimination,” it continued.

The letter urged members of congress to support H.R. 3458, “The Internet Freedom Preservation Act.”