RLI 273 13 The Importance of Net Neutrality to Research Libraries in the Digital Age ( C O N T I N U E D ) DECEMBER 2010 RESEARCH LIBRARY ISSUES: A BIMONTHLY REPORT FROM ARL, CNI, AND SPARC FCC’s Current Plan for Net Neutrality Rules • On December 1, 2010, FCC Chairman Genachowski announced his plan to circulate a proposed net neutrality rule that will be voted on by the FCC during its December 21, 2010, open meeting.9 • The proposal would: • Prohibit networks from blocking users’ right to access to lawful content and applications • Prevent wireline companies from engaging in “unreasonable discrimination,” and prevent wireless companies from blocking lawful websites • Require transparency in network management practices for wireless and wireline providers • The FCC will continue to assert its authority over Internet service providers and plans to offer additional grounds for authority beyond those claimed in Comcast v. FCC. • On December 21, 2010, the FCC will vote on the proposed net neutrality rule, which requires a three-person majority to pass. This majority would likely be the three democratic Commissioners: Julius Genachowski, Michael J. Copps, and Mignon Clyburn.10 Three Reasons Why Net Neutrality Is Critical to the Mission of Research Libraries 1. A Free and Open Internet Is Vital to Libraries’ Mission to Promote Intellectual Freedom and the Democratic Process Libraries serve the public interest and further democracy by providing access to information, connecting the voices of faculty and students, and creating a more informed citizenry—efforts that are all further enhanced through the use of the Internet. As the FCC stated in its NPRM, with the advent of the Internet, “the possibility of using technology to create a more transparent and connected democracy has never seemed so bright.”11 Similarly, Congress noted that the Internet “offer[s] a forum for a true diversity of political discourse, unique opportunities for cultural development, and myriad avenues for intellectual activity.”12 Libraries have long been champions of intellectual freedom and the democratic process, and it is well recognized that the open Internet serves as a platform for these values.