This letter was written in response to a campaign appeal by the American Civil Liberties Union (http://www.aclu.org/]ACLU[/url]) warning major media corporations against the danger of censoring what citizens can access on the internet. It goes to America Online (AOL), American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

To: AOL, ATT, FCC and FTC

Dear _________________:

The Internet is rapidly becoming an essential medium of communication, and high-speed access is its next great threshold.

But two giant companies, America Online and American Telephone and Telegraph, are gaining control of high-speed access, because they control most of the cable systems which can offer high-speed access. Thus they have the power to decide what content users can receive.

Both AOL and AT&T already decide which television stations their cable subscribers can see. In fact, there are now troubling signs that they intend to become just as selective in terms of Internet content.

Corporate censorship represents a significant potential threat to online free speech. Now is the time to ensure that cable companies open their wires to the most robust content possible.

I call on both AOL and AT&T to guarantee complete and open access by all subscribers.

Sincerely yours

Your name and optional address

This letter was released on 09/10/2000.
Retire date is 11/01/2000.

Topics for this letter:
Civil Rights
Human Rights
International Politics
Domestic Politics

mailto:jim@progressivesecretary.org?subject=No to Internet Censorship Send]Click this link to send this letter[/url]