Is Net Neutrality important to you?
In order to address this very important issue, a free and public Panel Discussion with experts has been organized by Somerville Community Access Television on Tuesday, March 25 from 7:00-9:00pm at Tisch Library, Tufts University, in room 304.
Because of a recent rule change, Internet provider companies like Verizon and Comcast can now block or slow down any website, application, or service they like. And they'll be able to create tiered pricing structures with fast lanes for those websites that can afford the tolls, and slow lanes for everyone else. Previously, all websites had to be treated equally by the Internet providers, a policy known as Net Neutrality.
According to the Federal Communications Commission's Open Internet Order, Net Neutrality allows for an Open Internet, which "is the Internet as we know it, a level playing field where consumers can make their own choices about what applications and services to use, and where consumers are free to decide what content they want to access, create, or share with others."
On Jan. 14, 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., struck down the Federal Communications Commission's Open Internet Order. This means that Net Neutrality is no longer required by law.
Learn more about net neutrality, tiered Internet packages, media ownership, future Internet policy and how all of this will affect our future Internet access.
Panelists Include:
David Talbot, Chief Correspondent, MIT Technology Review
Candace Clement, Advocacy & Organizing Manager, Free Press
Daniel Lyons, Assistant Professor, Boston College Law School
Cara Lisa Berg Powers, Co-Director Director, Press Pass TV
Moderator: Nina Huntemann, Associate Professor, Suffolk University Communications and Journalsim Department
The event is co-sponsored by Wicked Local Somerville, Arlington Community Media, Inc.., Cambridge Community Television, Boston Neighborhood Network Television, and Massachusetts Pirate Party
Free and open to the public.
Contact: Erica Jones, programming@scatvsomervill