Rock the Net is a nationwide coalition of hundreds of bands and music labels that support net neutrality.Net Neutrality is the guiding principle that preserves the free and open Internet. In other words, this principle requires that the handful of companies that control the Internet pipes treat all content equally. This principle helps to ensure that small blogs can be accessed just as easily and quickly as sites owned by large media companies.
Why is this so important?
Some of the big telecoms have said they want to set up a toll booth on the Internet and collect fees for allowing web sites to download faster. Imagine an Internet where MTV.com runs 50 times faster than Pitchfork because they have a partnership with AT&T; where CD Baby goes out of business because they cannot compete with the likes of Amazon or Best Buy. Or even worse, corporate giants make deals with Internet providers so that independent artists, labels, and news sites are completely cut out of the picture. Kinda looks like “Internet Payolaâ€, doesn’t it?
We come together in 2007 to demonstrate to Congress and the FCC the music community's broad support for net neutrality. As musicians and entrepreneurs, we understand the importance of treating all websites and online music stores equally -- from the busiest music website to the smallest blog. We urge Congress to support network neutrality and we urge every band, music label, and music fan to join the coalition.
Rock the Net is organized and managed collaboratively by the Future of Music Coalition, Noise Pop and Zeitgeist Artist Management. Funding for the project has been generously provided by the Proteus Fund's Media Democracy Fund.
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