October 18, 2010

WASHINGTON – Communicators representing a wide range of national church bodies have called upon the Federal Communications Commission "to take any and all action" to protect the freedom of the Internet.

Noting that Internet communication is "vital" to faith groups as they share their stories and build communities, the National Council of Churches Communication Commission has issued a resolution urging the FCC to "protect the freedom of every individual and group to see and hear and send any information they desire."

The Commission is composed of professional communicators from the NCC's 36 member communions and other faith groups. The members have historically supported freedom of communication in all media, including the Internet, but some have expressed concern that the FCC is not moving quickly enough to guarantee that freedom through federal regulation.

"Faith communities have experienced uneven access to and coverage by mainstream media," the Commission declared, "and wish to keep open the opportunity to create their own material describing their faith traditions."

The FCC must "guarantee network neutrality applicable to all types of technology used by citizens to access Internet communications services, both wired and wireless, and equally applicable to the Internet services provided by telecommunications providers, cable providers, wireless mobile Internet access providers, and any other type of technological access to Internet services," the Commission said.

The resolution included a preamble quoting Dr. Hamadoun Touré, general secretary of the International Communications Union, who said broadband access is a "basic civil right."

The full text of the resolution follows:

Resolution on Network Neutrality and Internet Freedom by the Communication Commission, National Council of Churches USA

Whereas, the people of our communities of faith rely heavily on the Internet as a means to communicate, share experiences, and build community; Whereas, many of our faith communities, which also are nonprofit organizations with relatively small budgets, rely on the Internet as a public platform for free speech, equal opportunity, outreach to their members, and ministry and social service to local communities in need;

Whereas, faith communities have experienced uneven access to and coverage by the mainstream media, and wish to keep open the opportunity to create their own material describing their faith and traditions;

Whereas, as faith communicators, we see every day the vital connection between a free and fair communications system and the achievement of important social justice goals;

Whereas, if vital net neutrality protections are not assured by the FCC, large for-profit companies providing Internet services may have a commercial incentive to favor their own content over others and as a result could limit the activity and equal access of members of faith communities and other non-commercial organizations online;

Whereas, we believe the only way to carry out this mandate is for the FCC to ensure that the National Broadband Plan guarantee network neutrality applicable to all types of technology used by citizens to access Internet communications services, both wired and wireless, and equally applicable to the Internet services provided by telecommunications providers, cable providers, wireless mobile Internet access providers, and any other type of technological access to Internet services;

Whereas, network neutrality principles will allow the full diversity of voices to flourish and will be the principle that will make broadband access a meaningful self-empowerment tool driving achievement of these broad social goals;

Therefore, we jointly urge the Federal Communications Commission to take any and all action to adopt network neutrality, including reclassification of broadband services as a telecommunications service, as a fundamental and necessary part of the frameworkfor all forms of broadband Internet service that will protect the freedom of every individual and group to see and hear and send any information they desire.

National Council of Churches USA