IP Democracy: Rockers Stump for Net Neutrality

As soon as I declared net neutrality one of the most boring topics, the issue has gained a bit of new vigor. Not only did the FCC last week issue a notice of inquiry on net neutrality, but yesterday 146 bands and 27 labels announced the creation of a campaign called Rock the Net which aims to keep music free of broadband provider prioritization.

Two dozen artists are participating in the campaign, including R.E.M., Kronos Quartet, Sarah McLachlan, The Wrens, OK Go, Death Cab for Cutie and the Barenaked Ladies. Pro-social financial group Proteus Fund is underwriting the effort, the kick-off of which is somehow pegged to Ted Leo and the Pharmacists’ concert at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC tomorrow night (btw, this concert has been sold out for weeks and if anyone has tickets I’ll buy them.)

“Rock the Net: Musicians for Network Neutrality” has a formal petition up on its website, which has garnered a mere 78 signatures since the press conference announcing the campaign’s creation yesterday, which was nominally run by net neutrality proponent Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.

Posted by Cynthia Brumfield on March 28, 2007 9:41 AM to IP Democracy