Disparate groups join to form net neutrality coalition

A self-described coalition of “strange bedfellows,” including groups representing gun owners, librarians, religious leaders and liberal activists, has joined to advocate for a U.S. law to bar broadband providers from blocking or slowing content and services provided by potential competitors.

The SavetheInternet.com Coalition formally launched Monday as a U.S. House of Representatives committee plans to debate and amend a telecommunications reform bill that has weakened net neutrality requirements in earlier drafts of the legislation. Among the groups joining long-time net neutrality advocates Free Press, Public Knowledge, Consumer Federation of America on the coalition are the Gun Owners of America, the American Library Association, liberal group MoveOn.org, the Interfaith Council for Social Justice, and Afro-Netizen.com, a Web community for black people.

The groups argue that a net neutrality provision is needed because a small group of large telecom and cable TV companies control most broadband networks in the U.S.

Without an unfettered Internet, grass-roots lobbying groups such as the Gun Owners of America could have their messages blocked or slowed when trying to get members to contact lawmakers, said Craig Fields, director of Internet operations for the conservative group.

“It used to be there were some fights we couldn’t even get into because there wasn’t enough time to set up a snail-mail campaign,” Fields said. “In today’s world, the politicians can’t hide behind time any more. In today’s world, every person is a keyboard activist.”

Although the group generally supports the conservative idea of small government, a new net neutrality law is needed, he added. “We have the necessity of government intervention to ensure the free exchange of ideas,” Fields added.

In recent months, officials from AT&T Inc., Verizon Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp. have all complained that some Internet companies are “riding free” on their networks, and BellSouth officials have advocated for a business plan that would allow broadband providers to charge a new fee to companies that want faster broadband speeds than everyone else.

AT&T and Verizon officials have repeatedly said they have no plans to block or degrade services from competitors. They and other broadband providers have argued that a net neutrality law isn’t needed because there’s no evidence of a problem.

“AT&T has repeatedly and consistently made clear that consumers will get tomorrow what they have today,” AT&T spokesman Michael Balmoris said last month. “They will be able to reach all the content and applications they want. … AT&T will not block, impair or degrade access to any legal Web site, application or service, nor will we intentionally degrade the customer experience or the service delivery of content or application providers.”

As the House Energy and Commerce committee debates a wide-ranging telecom bill Tuesday and Wednesday, the SavetheInternet.com Coalition is contacting every member of Congress and asking them to support a strong net neutrality provision, organizers said. They also have collected more than 200,000 signatures on a petition supporting net neutrality, they said.