<div dir="ltr"><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.districtdispatch.org/2014/01/ala-extremely-disappointed-net-neutrality-ruling/">http://www.districtdispatch.org/2014/01/ala-extremely-disappointed-net-neutrality-ruling/</a></div>
<div><br></div><div><h1>ALA “extremely disappointed” with net neutrality ruling</h1><div><span>Posted on </span><span><font color="#0066cc">January 14, 2014</font></span><span> by </span><span><font color="#0066cc">Jazzy Wright</font></span> <span> </span> </div>
<div><p>Today, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Federal Communications Commission overstepped its authority by prohibiting Internet providers from blocking Internet traffic. Barbara Stripling, president of the American Library Association (ALA), released the following statement regarding the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruling on <em>Verizon v. FCC</em>:</p>
<p>“The American Library Association is extremely disappointed with today’s decision by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to strike down the FCC’s “Net Neutrality” decision. ALA has been a long-time supporter of the free flow of information for all people. Now that the Internet has become the primary mechanism for delivering information, services and applications to the general public, it is especially important that commercial Internet Service Providers are not able to control or manipulate the content of these communications.</p>
<p>“The court’s decision gives commercial companies the astounding legal authority to block Internet traffic, give preferential treatment to certain Internet services or applications, and steer users to or away from certain web sites based on their own commercial interests. This ruling, if it stands, will adversely affect the daily lives of Americans and fundamentally change the open nature of the Internet, where uncensored access to information has been a hallmark of the communication medium since its inception.</p>
<p>“Public libraries have become leading providers of public Internet access, providing service to millions of students, elderly citizens, people seeking employment and many others every single day. Approximately 77 million people use public library Internet access every year. These users of libraries’ Internet services, and people all across the country, deserve equal access to online information and services.</p>
<p>“The ability of the Internet to spread and share ideas is only getting better. With modern technology, individuals and small groups can produce rich audio and video resources that used to be the exclusive domain of large companies. We must work to ensure that these resources are not relegated to second-class delivery on the Internet – or else the intellectual freedoms fostered by the Internet will be seriously constrained. ALA will work with policy-makers and explore every avenue possible to restore the long-standing principle of nondiscrimination to all forms of broadband access to the Internet.”</p>
</div></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.districtdispatch.org/2014/01/ala-extremely-disappointed-net-neutrality-ruling/">http://www.districtdispatch.org/2014/01/ala-extremely-disappointed-net-neutrality-ruling/</a></div>
<div><br></div><div><br clear="all"><br>-- <br></div><div><em><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS";font-size:10pt">Diedre Conkling</span></em><i><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS";font-size:10pt"><br>
<em><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Lincoln County Library District</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">P.O. Box 2027</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Newport, OR 97365</span></em><br>
<em><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Phone & Fax: 541-265-3066</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Work email</span></em></span></i><em><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS";font-size:10pt;font-style:normal">: </span></em><a href="mailto:diedre@lincolncolibrarydist.org" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS";font-size:10pt"><font color="#0000ff">diedre@lincolncolibrarydist.org</font></span></i></a><i><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS";font-size:10pt"><br>
<em><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Home email: </span></em></span></i><a href="mailto:diedre08@gmail.com" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:blue;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";font-size:10pt">diedre08@gmail.com</span></em></a></div>
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<span>“If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.”―Maya Angelou</span><span></span></h6><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS";font-size:10pt"></span></div>
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