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Adelstein, Cerf advocate broadband access as a fundamental right

By Jacqueline Emigh, BetaNews

June 24, 2008, 3:50 PM

A group of Internet industry regulators and luminaries, including Google's Vint Cerf and FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, launched a new initiative today to make broadband Internet access a "basic right" for all Americans.

NEW YORK CITY (BetaNews) - Google Chief Technology Evangelist Vint Cerf, FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, and other technology and academic luminaries were on hand today to help launch InternetforEveryone.org, a new initiative spearheaded by the Free Press advocacy group to make broadband more accessible.

Speakers at a press conference this morning talked about how high-speed Internet access is now a necessity for everyone.

Van Jones, president of Green for All, said that during the California mudslides, Mexican migrant workers had died because they lacked the technology for easily accessing the most up-to-date weather forecasts.

Pointing to the need for broadband access among small businesses, Robin Chase indicated that without the Internet, businesses such as Zipcar -- a dot-com car rental firm which she co-founded -- couldn't even exist. Chase is also the CEO of Meadow Networks, a Web-based environmental organization.

Commissioner Adelstein suggested that although the FCC has been considering a range of plans for expanding broadband access, actual decisions have been hard to reach.

The role of Free Press is only to "convene" InternetforEveryone.org, according to Josh Silver, executive director of the group. Any individual or organization can join the Initiative as long as it supports the "four basic principles" of access, choice, openness, [and] innovation," Silver told BetaNews.

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By Scary Guy

posted Jun 25, 2008 - 1:17 PM

It doesn't matter anyway, Japan is still blowing us out of the water as far as internet speeds go.

Tell you what, they can have high speed internet when I get an OC758 (however I'll settle for a nice T3) at the current price I'm paying now.

Yes I am insane

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jun 25, 2008 - 2:35 PM

Japan: Millions of people stuffed in an itty-bitty living space.

USA: Millions of people spread out over a continent at least 15 times the size of Japan.

Query:

Which do you think might be fundamentally harder to "wire"?

Score: 0

By imafurby

posted Jun 24, 2008 - 5:32 PM

Van Jones..."Mexican migrant workers had died because they lacked the technology for easily accessing the most up-to-date weather forecasts." Hah, that would be funny if it wasn't using a tragedy to make a stupid point. Please keep the comedy coming though, we need it now there's no more Carlin to put the boot into those kinds of idiotic statements. Nice try Van, but "Green For All" sounds a little too Fascistic for me.

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

posted Jun 24, 2008 - 5:00 PM

And who will be paying for this "fundamental right"? *points to self*

Score: 0

By daq

posted Jun 25, 2008 - 11:08 AM

I don't think this has anything to do with money. They are doing this to fight s*** like usage caps, traffic shaping etc.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jun 25, 2008 - 2:34 PM

So this wouldn't require any oversight whatsoever? Because...that would cost, ya know...money.

...n' stuff.

Score: 0

By zenarcher

posted Jun 24, 2008 - 6:56 PM

Kind of makes you think about how we all subsidize telephone service, through our phone bills, for people who live out in the middle of nowhere, doesn't it??

Score: 0

By paschott

posted Jun 24, 2008 - 4:45 PM

Yes, because obviously I couldn't exist without the Internet. Sorry, life does go on without Internet access. Sometimes easier, sometimes harder, but people all over the world somehow get by with just food, water, and sometimes even shelter. I mean, some of them don't even have cars. Won't someone think of the children?

Just means more of my tax dollars going to some useless project. OK - now that I have broadband, why don't I have a computer? What about electricity to run that computer?

As for the migrant workers - did they not have access to a radio? Common sense knowing that dirt+water == mud? (especially in California where mudslides have been somewhat common in recent years)

Seriously - you want them to have broadband - YOU pay for it. It's just not a requirement for life to go on. We somehow survived all of this time on the planet without Internet access, let alone broadband.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jun 24, 2008 - 4:13 PM

OMFG...

*laughing*

Wow.

More "think of the children" Social Welfare BS.

I suppose I should have seen it coming.

Mexican migrant workers had died because they lacked the technology for easily accessing the most up-to-date weather forecasts.

Yes, of course. Because without internet access they'd have never known that water+dirt=mud...

Score: 0

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