We have arrived at a critical juncture in media — a moment when traditional media is in disarray, and a new type of communications is on the rise.

People now read newspapers, watch television and listen to the radio via the Internet. And soon all of our communications — phones, TV and the Web — will be delivered over a high-speed "broadband" connection. People are also creating their own media — including blog posts, music and videos — and sharing them with huge audiences without needing permission from Big Media companies.

The Internet is radically changing the way most everyone experiences media. It could become the central nervous system of a healthy democracy — the greatest engine for free speech, civic engagement, and economic growth ever known. It may be our last, best hope to make an end-run around the traditional media gatekeepers.

But whether the Internet remains open, diverse and democratic depends largely on policy decisions. If past is prologue, the prospects aren't good. Over the past 100 years, whenever a "disruptive technology" — such as radio or television broadcasting — sparked democratic participation in media, dominant forces reacted by creating rules to lock it down, stifle public participation and re-assert their authority.

There is a similar threat to an open Internet today, and the stakes couldn't be higher. High-speed Internet access is fast becoming a basic public necessity, just like water or electricity. To protect free-flowing Internet access for everyone, Americans need to get involved right now.

Issues relating to an open Internet include:

Net Neutrality
We need to keep the Internet free, open and neutral. Network Neutrality is vital to ensuring that everyone can connect and share content freely, that we can access the information, visit the Web sites and say what we want online, free from discrimination or interference.

The big phone and cable companies that control access to the Internet for most Americans want to get rid of Net Neutrality, the rule that prevents them from discriminating against online content. They want to become the Internet's gatekeepers, deciding which sites go fast or slow and which won’t load at all — based on who pays them the most.

We can't allow the information superhighway to become the phone and cable companies' private toll road. If they get their way, the Internet as we know it — as a democratic platform for free speech and innovation — will disappear.

National Broadband Policy
What passes for broadband access in the United States barely measures up. Half of the nation’s households are not connected to broadband, and the United States is falling far behind other developed nations in broadband speed, price and availability. We pay far more for a lot less bandwidth than our global competitors — and we lack enough competitive choices in the market to push speeds up and prices down.

The way to stop the slide and improve broadband access, service and choice is to pass a comprehensive national broadband plan that is focused on putting our digital future back on track. A national broadband plan would protect Internet freedom and foster competition by bringing new providers into the marketplace, driving economic growth and innovation, and bringing universal, affordable broadband access to all Americans.

Community Internet
Far too many people find themselves on the wrong side of the digital divide. Community Internet — also known as municipal broadband — networks allow local governments and communities to bring the benefits of broadband to their citizens and local businesses.

Communities often choose to use new wireless technologies to deliver fast, affordable and reliable Internet service to everyone, bringing broadband to rural residents and underserved areas and lowering the cost of access for all residents. These networks provide an essential catalyst for market competition and economic development. We must empower local governments to launch broadband initiatives that connect all of their citizens.

Want to join the fight for a free, open and accessible Internet? Visit SaveTheInternet.com to learn more and find out what you can do.

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