IP Democracy: What Does Eddie Vedder Think of Net Neutrality?

A really interesting donnybrook has occurred that answers the eternal question: what does Eddie Vedder think of net neutrality? Vedder’s band Pearl Jam has this post today on the group’s website that accuses AT&T of censoring Pearl Jam’s performance of “Don’t Call Me Daughter” at Lollapalooza on Sunday.

It’s not really clear but it sounds like AT&T, a sponsor of the bandfest, cut out of a live webcast only those parts of the performance that were critical of George Bush.

During the performance of “Daughter” the following lyrics were sung to the tune of Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall” but were cut from the webcast:

- “George Bush, leave this world alone.” (the second time it was sung); and

- “George Bush find yourself another home.”

AT&T apparently has admitted to deleting the selected phrases but says its “content monitor had made a mistake.”

That’s not the best part. The best part is how eloquent Pearl Jam is on the issue of media concentration of ownership and network neutrality.

This, of course, troubles us as artists but also as citizens concerned with the issue of censorship and the increasingly consolidated control of the media.

AT&T’s actions strike at the heart of the public’s concerns over the power that corporations have when it comes to determining what the public sees and hears through communications media.

Aspects of censorship, consolidation, and preferential treatment of the internet are now being debated under the umbrella of “Net Neutrality.”

Now, if this were any other band, I might be tempted to categorically conclude that Pearl Jam is being used as a puppet, nothing more than a prop, by pro-net neutrality advocates looking to score points about the need for new regulations. What better horror story to wave about than showing how AT&T actually censored political speech. If the telco would do that, you’d better believe it would discriminate against commercial competitors in a heartbeat.

I think it’s a possibility that Pearl Jam’s complaint has been politically manufactured to achieve a purpose. What makes me suspicious is how quickly Public Knowledge has spread the word about the Pearl Jam incident. In a statement, PK President Gigi Sohn said

The admitted censoring of a Pearl Jam performance is just one more reason why content should be protected against the actions of a company looking out for itself, rather than for consumers and the free flow of information over the Internet.

But Vedder has always been politically active, progressive and smart, so it’s possible that things have transpired the other way around. Pearl Jam complained about what it perceived as censorship and Public Knowledge seized upon the opportunity.

Whatever the case may be, only an idiotic communications company would edit out political comments from a performance. I don’t think AT&T is idiotic. This was probably a giant mistake or overzealous editing by an errant employee. Let’s hope so anyway.

Update: I just got a phone call from an AT&T spokeswoman, Tiffany Nels, who confirmed that the editing out of the anti-Bush comments “was a total mistake.” It was, in fact, an error by the editor and “we don’t edit performances” she said, except in regards to profanity (“just like a broadcaster”) because the website is open to anybody of any age. AT&T is working with Pearl Jam to put the full, unedited performance up on the website.

Update: PK’s Art Brodsky has this item on the Huffington Post and he’s not buying the “blame the junior staffer” excuse. I see his point, but still, they’re not stupid over there at AT&T. Shrewd, wily, out to gain an upper hand, maybe, just like any other giant business with one half of a duopoly pipe into the home. Dumb they are not.

Posted by Cynthia Brumfield on August 8, 2007 4:44 PM to IP Democracy