Godfather Director to FCC Chairman Pai: Preserve Net Neutrality Rules for Arts Community
Godfather Director to FCC Chairman Pai: Preserve Net Neutrality Rules for Arts Community
Godfather Director to FCC Chairman Pai: Preserve Net Neutrality Rules for Arts Community

    Get Involved Today

    Today, Public Knowledge launched a video showcasing Francis Ford Coppola’s recent letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai asking him to preserve net neutrality rules for the arts community.

    The video encourages the audience to join the famed director in speaking up by submitting comments to the FCC, and redirects to a petition that will submit comments after the agency’s “sunshine” period has passed for the current Notice of Proposed Rulemaking addressing net neutrality.

    The following can be attributed to Kate Forscey, Associate Policy Counsel at Public Knowledge:

    “Net neutrality is immensely important for the arts community. Strong Open Internet rules enable filmmakers, writers, graphics designers, YouTube vloggers, game developers and more to explore new ideas, raise funding for cutting edge projects and share their work with the public. The open internet provides a depthless well of inspiration that offers artists of every stripe independence to follow their creative passion wherever it leads. Such open access is especially important for fostering risky or controversial art that challenges our thinking as a society.

    “Net neutrality rules — which currently prevent broadband providers from blocking websites, throttling connections or charging content creators for ‘fast lane’ privileges — also help the creative community reach wider audiences and explore new ideas without the threat of being blocked (or censored) by ISPs.

    “Without these rules, business interests will make it harder for artists to create, and for Americans to enjoy their great work. We thank Francis Ford Coppola for using his voice to go to the mat to defend net neutrality for artists everywhere, and encourage everyone who cares about a free and open internet to do the same.”

    You may watch the video here. You may also view a copy of the letter or review the history of net neutrality in this timeline.

     

    Members of the media may contact Communications Director Shiva Stella with inquiries, interview requests, or to join the Public Knowledge press list at shiva@publicknowledge.org or 405-249-9435.