Speak Up for the Future of the Internet

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is holding a hearing on internet freedom and net neutrality in Palo Alto next Thursday, April 17. With the future of the internet at stake, it is absolutely critical that those who support freedom of expression show up in force.

Your comments in person will send a strong message to Washington that Americans will not tolerate private corporate Internet gatekeepers. Agency officials at the FCC — and political leaders in Congress — must take immediate action to safeguard free speech and innovation online.

Verizon has been caught blocking text messages about reproductive rights; Comcast has been caught blocking peer-to-peer communications; and AT&T wants to inspect and filter what travels through its Internet network. The government must put in place baseline protections that will leave the Internet open to the millions of people who use it.

For more about keeping the internet free from censorship, go to www.aclu.org/netneutrality

All testimony given at the event will be added to the public record, and your testimony will help build the case for free speech online.

WHAT: Public FCC Hearing on the Future of the Internet

WHEN: Thursday, April 17th

TIME: 12:00pm to 7:00pm — with public comment at 4:30 p.m.

WHERE: Dinkelspiel Auditorium, Stanford University

471 Lagunita Drive, Palo Alto, CA

Be sure to download our Net Neutrality Myths and Facts and bring them with you.

The FCC has allotted at least two hours for public testimony, and the ACLU of Northern California is working with our allies and partners on the ground to be sure everyone who wants to testify has a turn at the microphone.

Here's the agenda:

12:00 p.m. - Welcome/Opening Remarks from FCC Commissioners12:45 p.m. - Panel 1: Network Management and Consumer Expectations 3:00 p.m. - Panel 2: Consumer Access to Emerging Internet Technologies and Applications

4:30 p.m. - Public Comment (That's you!)

6:30 p.m. - Closing Remarks 7:00 p.m. - Adjournment

If you can't come to the hearing, please consider submitting comments online here. Filing instructions are here. Please reference docket numbers 07-52 and 08-7 when submitting your comments.

Thank you for helping to protect free expression online.