Fighting to Keep the Internet Open and Free

The role and protection of the Internet has been a priority since NDN was founded. These pieces below discuss the Future of the Internet as well as ways to ensure that it is “open and free” when we pass it onto the next generation. These three paragraphs, from a piece in 2007, encapsulates why this work and policy is so important:

"A single global communications network, composed of Internet, mobile, SMS, cable and satellite technology, is rapidly tying the world’s people together as never before. The core premise of this paper is that the emergence of this network is one of the seminal events of the early 21st century.  Increasingly, the world’s commerce, finance, communications, media and information are flowing through this network.  Half of the world’s 6 billion people are now connected to this network, many through powerful and inexpensive mobile phones.  Each year more of the world’s people become connected to the network, its bandwidth increases, and its use becomes more integrated into all that we do. 
 
Connectivity to this network, and the ability to master it once on, has become an essential part of life in the 21st century, and a key to opportunity, success and fulfillment for the people of the world. 
 
We believe it should be a core priority of the United States to ensure that all the world’s people have access to this global network and have the tools to use it for their own life success. There is no way any longer to imagine free societies without the freedom of commerce, expression, and community, which this global network can bring.  Bringing this network to all, keeping it free and open and helping people master its use must be one of the highest priorities of those in power in the coming years."

Recent Pieces 

Fighting to Keep The Internet Open and Free, Jonathan Spalter and Simon Rosenberg, The Hill, October 18th, 2014.

An Enduring Legacy: The Democratic Party and Free and Open Trade, Simon Rosenberg, Huffington Post, January 21st, 2014.

Major Pieces:

A Laptop in Every Backpack, Simon Rosenberg and Alec Ross, NDN, May 1st, 2007.