NetCompetition on FCC Publicly Sharing its Proposed Open Internet Order

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                           

January 23, 2015      Contact:  Scott Cleland 703-217-2407

FCC Should Lead by Example and Be Publicly Open & Transparent about its Internet Proposal

Why Block or Throttle Public Openness & Transparency in a FCC Open Internet Order Vote?

WASHINGTON D.C. – The following may be attributed to Scott Cleland, Chairman of NetCompetition:

• “The FCC’s congressional overseers are right and wise to ask the FCC to make their proposed Open Internet Order available to the public three weeks prior to their scheduled February 26^th vote. Simply, public transparency begets public legitimacy.”

• “Will the FCC lead by example and be as open and transparent as Congress is with the public in its decision making, and be as open and transparent as the FCC expects industry to be with the public about its network management decision making?”

• “What makes the FCC process special that it needs to be done in secret?”

• “If the FCC thinks it is urgent and important for the FCC to bar anyone  from blocking or throttling the free flow of information on the Internet, why would it be OK for the FCC to block or throttle the free flow of information about what the FCC proposes to decide in order to preserve an open Internet?”  

NETCompetition.org is a pro-competition e-forum representing broadband interests.  See www.netcompetition.org.  

Scott Cleland served as Deputy U.S. Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy in the George H. W. Bush Administration.