[Libs-Or] ALA “extremely disappointed” with net neutrality ruling

[Diedre Conkling]

http://www.districtdispatch.org/2014/01/ala-extremely-disappointed-net-neutrality-ruling/

ALA "extremely disappointed" with net neutrality ruling
Posted on January 14, 2014 by Jazzy Wright

Today, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Federal
Communications Commission overstepped its authority by prohibiting Internet
providers from blocking Internet traffic. Barbara Stripling, president of
the American Library Association (ALA), released the following statement
regarding the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruling on *Verizon
v. FCC*:

"The American Library Association is extremely disappointed with today's
decision by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to strike down the FCC's "Net
Neutrality" decision. ALA has been a long-time supporter of the free flow
of information for all people. Now that the Internet has become the primary
mechanism for delivering information, services and applications to the
general public, it is especially important that commercial Internet Service
Providers are not able to control or manipulate the content of these
communications.

"The court's decision gives commercial companies the astounding legal
authority to block Internet traffic, give preferential treatment to certain
Internet services or applications, and steer users to or away from certain
web sites based on their own commercial interests. This ruling, if it
stands, will adversely affect the daily lives of Americans and
fundamentally change the open nature of the Internet, where uncensored
access to information has been a hallmark of the communication medium since
its inception.

"Public libraries have become leading providers of public Internet access,
providing service to millions of students, elderly citizens, people seeking
employment and many others every single day. Approximately 77 million
people use public library Internet access every year. These users of
libraries' Internet services, and people all across the country, deserve
equal access to online information and services.

"The ability of the Internet to spread and share ideas is only getting
better. With modern technology, individuals and small groups can produce
rich audio and video resources that used to be the exclusive domain of
large companies. We must work to ensure that these resources are not
relegated to second-class delivery on the Internet - or else the
intellectual freedoms fostered by the Internet will be seriously
constrained. ALA will work with policy-makers and explore every avenue
possible to restore the long-standing principle of nondiscrimination to all
forms of broadband access to the Internet."





http://www.districtdispatch.org/2014/01/ala-extremely-disappointed-net-neutrality-ruling/



-- 
*Diedre Conkling*




*Lincoln County Library DistrictP.O. Box 2027Newport, OR 97365Phone & Fax:
541-265-3066Work email**:
**diedre at lincolncolibrarydist.org*<diedre at lincolncolibrarydist.org>
*Home email: **diedre08 at gmail.com* <diedre08 at gmail.com>

 "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change
your attitude."--Maya Angelou
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