Friends volunteered to draft and release a statement to the press about my e-book released today, as part of the Internet Freedom Day actions, and which is free today.
I think the press release is wonderful, and it incorporates some of Alexis Ohanian’s and Craig Newmark’s comments on the book. So I’m posting it here. Thankful for having talented friends…
Internet Scholar Ammori Releases eBook “On Internet Freedom” to Mark One-Year Anniversary of Historic Internet Blackout
“Internet freedom is the defining issue for our generation. We need a world where all links are created equal, not just to preserve all that we’ve built so far, but for all of the innovation that has yet to come. Read this book and make sure we get the future we deserve.”
Alexis Ohanian, Co-Founder, Reddit
Washington, D.C. – In celebration of the one-year anniversary of the “Internet Blackout,” First Amendment scholar and Internet policy expert Marvin Ammori today released, “On Internet Freedom,” an eBook that explores the challenges of maintaining Internet freedom and why that continuing struggle is central to democracy.
One year ago, the Internet found itself under attack by Congress, which threatened the Internet’s role as a driver of free speech, economic development, and job creation. On January 18, 2012, an unprecedented grassroots movement of millions of Internet users rose up to make their voices heard with phone calls, letters, emails and website blackouts, ultimately defeating the two controversial bills known as SOPA and PIPA – however, as Ammori notes, the fight is far from over. In fact, it is just beginning.
“The freedom enabled by the Internet helps realize the values of human rights and also provides a lot of commercial opportunity for everyone,” said Craigslist.org Founder, Craig Newmark. “Marvin Ammori reminds us how important that is, and that we can’t take Internet freedom for granted, that we all need to stand up for each other.”
In “On Internet Freedom,” Ammori analyzes three case studies focusing on the freedom of users to connect with one another—the fight against copyright legislation (SOPA); the reactions to government officials pressuring private companies like PayPal and YouTube to silence speech by means of private “terms of service”; and the long pursuit of network neutrality and its importance to the connected future we will soon live in. Ammori walks the reader through the most important aspects of these struggles from the key arguments and the stakes at hand to the roles of critical players.
As Ammori argues, the Internet has and will continue to evolve, taking on a larger role in our democracy and economy and with that evolution comes the realization that our freedoms are under greater threat. SOPA and PIPA were misguided efforts by lawmakers and corporations to increase their control over the Internet by bending and shaping the laws, but these bills will not be the only ones of its kind. In light of this constant threat, everyday users must be willing to work together and jump into the political process at key moments to protect their own rights and ensure the Internet remains open and free.
Marvin Ammori 