The Internet must remain open for innovation

THE INTERNET MUST REMAIN OPEN FOR INNOVATION
[SOURCE: The Hill, AUTHOR: Rep. John Conyers (D-MI)]
[Commentary] Over the past decade, the Internet has revolutionized the way the world works, including the way we think and the way we shop, learn and communicate. It has created a global marketplace in which a single person running a business from home can access millions of potential customers equally as well as a multinational corporation. This information superhighway allows us to access unprecedented amounts of information and opinions and has become a safe harbor for First Amendment rights in which everyone can discuss whatever is important to them. However, because we have only begun to see the potential of this incredible resource, it is crucial that we protect the Internet and ensure that it remains the platform for innovation that it is today. I believe the way to do that is through network-neutrality legislation. The need for strong, narrowly tailored legislation to ensure network neutrality is widely supported. Time is of the essence. We cannot stand by and let the cable and phone companies re-create the Internet to suit their needs. The possibilities of a future that the Internet can and will bring are infinite and exciting, but we must act now to ensure that the endless possibilities remain just that -- possible.
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