Rep. Darrell Issa Signs Declaration of Internet Freedom
WASHINGTON — On Monday, Rep. Darrell Issa announced that he had signed the Declaration of Internet Freedom, a set of principles supported by hundreds of companies, entrepreneurs, scholars and organizations including Access, the ACLU, Amnesty International, Cheezburger, Inc., Credo, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Free Press and Mozilla.
New signers since the Declaration’s launch last week include Internet pioneer Vint Cerf, reddit, Union Square Ventures and Y Combinator. A full list of current signatories to the Declaration is available at www.InternetDeclaration.org.
Rep. Issa, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, was an outspoken opponent of the Stop Online Piracy Act. Last month, he launched a draft of a Digital Citizens’ Bill of Rights that dovetails with the Declaration of Internet Freedom in the discussion about securing basic rights for Internet users.
"I believe that individuals deserve an open and unobstructed Internet so they are free to innovate, collaborate and participate in building a stronger America and better world," Rep. Issa said. "It is crucial that we secure the principles outlined in the Declaration of Internet Freedom and the Digital Citizens’ Bill of Rights to defend against those who seek to interfere and disrupt our vibrant online community and the economic growth it supports. I'm proud to sign the Declaration and look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress and Internet users everywhere to develop common-sense policy that ensures future generations enjoy the Internet freedoms we do today."
The Declaration of Internet Freedom sets forth five basic principles — expression, access, openness, innovation and privacy — as a starting point for discussion among Internet users around the world. In the week since its July 2 launch, commenters have engaged with the text on sites like Cheezburger, reddit and Techdirt. The Declaration has already been translated into Spanish, German and Polish.
"We've seen a tremendous groundswell of interest in this collaborative effort since its launch, with thousands of organizations and individuals coming together to think about the very best ways to secure and expand universal freedoms to connect and create,” said Free Press President and CEO Craig Aaron. “This is just the beginning of an effort to spur public discussion and debate about these principles. We're encouraged by the response thus far, and we welcome the support and participation of leaders like Representative Issa who are concerned about the Internet's future."
