Watchdogs host DC insiders at Minnesota internet confab

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Free Press, SaveTheInternet.com, the Center for Media Justice and New America Foundation’s Open Technology Initiative are among the groups behind a public forum on the internet being held 8/19/10 Minneapolis. And they’ve lured some prominent members of the Inside-the-Beltway crowd to the meeting, including two FCC commissioners and one senator.


The watchdogs are concerned about reports of a deal between Verizon and Google that would affect network neutrality principles; and they are concerned that FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has spent time this summer with ISPs trying to broker a deal behind closed doors.

Genachowski will not be in attendance at the forum, being staged at South High School Auditorium at 6PM local time. But his two Democratic colleagues, Commissioners Michael Copps and Mignon Clyburn, will be.

Also in attendance will be Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), an outspoken proponent of network neutrality and of course, the senator from the state where the meeting is being held.

Event organizers are urging citizens to either attend the meeting or watch it over the internet, and in either case, to contact the FCC in support of strong net neutrality enforcement.