- On July 4, 2012, many of the organizations behind the protests against the Stop Online Privacy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA) legislation, including Free Press and the Center for Democracy & Technology, launched a new website displaying the Declaration of Internet Freedom. The Declaration states in part: “We believe that a free and open Internet can bring about a better world. To keep the Internet free and open, we call on communities, industries and countries to recognize these principles. We believe that they will help to bring about more creativity, more innovation and more open societies.” The Declaration lists four principles: Expression, Access, Openness, Innovation, and Privacy. Many organizations and individuals have signed on to the Declaration, including Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., Vincent Cerf, and Harvard Law and Computer Science professor Jonathan Zittrain who was named the Chairman of the FCC’s Open Internet Advisory Committee. A full list of supporters may be found here.
In a counterpoint, Ron Paul reportedly released a manifesto calling for government to “get out of the way” of the market when it comes to Internet regulation. Warning of “centralized control,” Paul’s manifesto criticizes net neutrality and any government encroachment on the market.
