Students for Net Neutrality

Nickelodeon Theatre

Erica Cosh — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:23:28 +0000

Thursday night (March 27) we set up at the Nickelodeon Theatre on Main Street. It was my favorite spot we were at because we actually had time to talk to people about the issue at hand. It seemed that almost everyone was receptive not in just stopping to hear but recognizing that net neutrality is an important issue that effects everyone that uses the internet. We got the rest of our petitions signed – a total of 100 for the week!!! More importantly we were able to spread the word about an issue that people had not heard of or did not really understand. I think Nickelodeon was a great place to set up allowing us to the end the week on high note.

Net Neutrality Week Day Two

demodenise — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 11:04:19 +0000

We set up at Cool Beans today to discuss the impact of an un-neutral internet on small, independent businesses and their ability to offer free internet. The draw was a little bit lower than the first day, with about 20 signatures coming in over all. We also canvassed the Computer science building before class to secure some more signatures.

Act Now!

demodenise — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:04:47 +0000

Even if you don’t get a chance to stop by our tables and sign one of our letters this week, you can still tell your representative how you feel.

Savetheinternet.com has an automatic web form that you can use to tell legislators to support net neutrality.

1st Day of Net Neutrality Week @ USC Campus

Erin Hoover — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 01:18:43 +0000

Today marked our first day of Net Neutrality Week at the University of South Carolina campus. We stood at a table outside of the Russell House and distributed fact sheets to passersby. We also had letters available for those that were interested in contacting their representatives about net neutrality. We had 39 letters signed today in less than two hours! When one considers that it takes about 10 letters from constituents to catch a representative’s attention, this is a big step forward. If you were one of these 39 people, way to go! (See Erica’s post below if you’re interested in sending a letter but have not yet had the chance.) We will also be back outside the Russell House on Wednesday to collect more signatures.

I think a big lesson we all picked up from our first day of advocacy was the need for flexibility. Whether we need a flexible schedule or flexible attitudes (e.g. “I don’t usually like walking up to strangers but I’m going to give this my best shot”), it’s important to focus on the cause and remember that you are already advocating by being there to spread the word or signing a letter. Sometimes we are all too eager to brush off the impact a person has the ability to make- or even a few students for that matter. Today was a great start to Net Neutrality Week and we look forward to bumping up the number of letters to representatives well into the triple digits.

-Erin

Join us on Facebook!

demodenise — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:19:04 +0000

We have a Facebook group! Join us!

Students for Net Neutrality on Facebook

Quick facts

demodenise — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:05:59 +0000

Network neutrality is the principle that Internet users should be in control of what content they view and what applications they use on the Internet. The Internet has operated according to this neutrality principle since its earliest days. Indeed, it is this neutrality that has allowed many companies, including Google, to launch, grow, and innovate. Fundamentally, net neutrality is about equal access to the Internet. In our view, the broadband carriers should not be permitted to use their market power to discriminate against competing applications or content. Just as telephone companies are not permitted to tell consumers who they can call or what they can say, broadband carriers should not be allowed to use their market power to control activity online. Today, the neutrality of the Internet is at stake as the broadband carriers want Congress’s
permission to determine what content gets to you first and fastest. Put simply, this would fundamentally alter the openness of the Internet.”

* As cited on http://www.google.com/help/netneutrality.html

What will happen if there is no legislated net neutrality?
Information and services would only be available to those who could pay.
Colleges, coffee shops and other places would stop offering free internet because they would not be able to afford it.
Student Technology fees would drastically rise to help cover schools’ costs.
People would stop posting blogs, videos and photos because they could not afford to thus limiting information available on the internet.
The internet would become a medium for censorship based on economic class
Corporations & Big Media would control all the information put on the internet.

Current Legislation that would protect Net Neutrality:
Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2008 (HR 5353).
“The goal of this bipartisan legislation is to assure consumers, content providers, and high tech innovators that the historic, open architecture nature of the Internet will be preserved and fostered. H.R. 5353 is designed to assess and promote Internet freedom for consumers and content providers. Internet freedom generally embodies the notion that consumers and content providers should be free to send, receive, access and use the lawful applications, content, and services of their choice on broadband networks, possess the effective right to attach and use non-harmful devices to use in conjunction with their broadband services, and that content providers not be subjected to unreasonably discriminatory practices by broadband network providers. “

As cited on http://markey.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3268&Itemid=141

More Reading on Net Neutrality:

1.http://www.pbs.org/moyers/moyersonamerica/net/neutrality.html

2.www.google.com/help/netneutrality.html

3.www.openinternetcoalition.com/

4.http://www.eff.org/

5.http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080116-leaked-memo-time-warner-cable-to-trial-hard-bandwidth-caps.html

6.http://www.abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=4215191&page=1

7.http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=1421497

Pics from Monday’s Net Neutrality Table

demodenise — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 11:24:21 +0000

Contact your Representative

Erica Cosh — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 01:13:16 +0000

If you can’t make it out to see us and sign the petition in Columbia then here is some information so that you can contact your state’s representative. Since there are so many representatives we will only have petitions for South Carolina representatives, sorry for all of you who are out of state. The following link takes you to the House of Representatives’ website, just enter your state and zip code and it will provide you with your representative and their contact information.

https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml

The following is a sample of the letter that we are sending to South Carolina’s representatives. Feel free to use this letter to send to your own representative to protect net neutrality.

Dear [Decision Maker],

As one of your constituents, I am writing today to urge action on your part to protect net neutrality once and for all. If the cable and phone companies’ lobbyists are allowed to succeed in absolving net neutrality, millions of Americans will be affected by these companies’ censorship and interference of the Internet. Competition, innovation and entrepreneurship would be severely restrained and freedom of expression inhibited. However, by supporting the passage of the Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2008 (HR 5353), our basic rights of free speech, communication and freedom from discrimination will be protected. It will ensure that a step in the right direction is taken in protecting net neutrality.

Thank you for your action in this important and urgent matter.

Sincerely,

[Name]

[Address]

[City, State, Zip]

Come Learn More About Net Neutrality!!

amberusc — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 02:42:49 +0000

Don’t miss us next week! From Monday March 24, 2008 until Thursday March 27, 2008, we will be hosting “Net Neutrality Week” on and around the USC (that’s South Carolina) campus. During this time, we will simply be informing people about the importance of Net Neutrality and the consequences of getting rid of it. We will also have letters available (already typed) for people to sign and send to their senators. Don’t worry, all you have to do is sign, we’ll deliver them on Friday to where they need to be! So here are the times and locations of our info sessions:

Monday from 12-2P: Russell House

Tuesday from 12-2P: Cool Beans

Wednesday from 12-2P: Russell House

Thursday from 6-8P: Nickelodeon Theater

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THEN!!!!!!!!

The Brains they are a storming.

Fiona McDevitt — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 01:56:54 +0000

This was our second brainstorming session. The first took place in the School of Social Work’s computer lab. We have since upgraded to the local coffee shop where we iron out details such as how we will publicize and what our logo will be over an hour lunch break between classes. This is group work at its best.