AT&T Fights back on Internet Neutrality Battle

Two weeks ago we posted a Media Alert asking people to support new federal legislation that would prevent telecom companies from further privatization of the Internet.

Yesterday, FreePress sent out notification that telecom giant AT&T is fighting back on this issue. FreePress staff person Tim Karr wrote:

The company’s top policy officer sent a memo to workers on Monday urging them to hide their company affiliation before posting anti-Net Neutrality comments to the Federal Communication Commission’s Web site.

“We encourage you, your family and friends to join the voices telling the FCC not to regulate the Internet,” AT&T Senior Executive Vice President James Cicconi wrote in an internal communiqué forwarded to Free Press (and posted here). “It can be done through a personal e-mail account by going to www.openinternet.gov and clicking on the ‘Join the Discussion’ link.”

The notice that FreePress sent out yesterday also states, “Last week, several dozen members of Congress put the interests of AT&T ahead of yours and signed a letter to the FCC opposing the agency’s efforts to protect Net Neutrality.” It isn’t known at this point which members of Congress signed a letter, but according to the Center for Responsible Politics, AT&T has given money equally to both Democrats and Republicans. In the 2008 election cycle AT&T gave $4,464,263 to candidates, the most by any of the telephone companies.

If you haven’t signed the online petition in favor of Internet Neutrality, do so today and encourage people you know to do the same.