New SavetheInternet.com Video Showcases Internet Celebrities to Highlight Importance of Net Neutrality

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: June 15, 2010
Contact: Liz Rose, Communications Director, 202-265-1490 x 32

WASHINGTON – In a new video released today, a group of Internet celebrities with millions of online viewers and followers added their voices to the fight for the free and open Internet.

The video made for SavetheInternet.com, in conjunction with the Harry Potter Alliance, features John and Hank Green, a.k.a. the “vlogbrothers”; actor and blogger Wil Wheaton; Maureen Johnson, a New York Times bestselling author for young adults; Shawn Ahmed from the UnculturedProject; musicians and video bloggers Kristina Horner and Luke Conard; and Adam Savage from the popular cable TV science show Mythbusters. In the video, they all urge the Federal Communications Commission to take action to protect Net Neutrality and preserve the open Internet.

“I care about Net Neutrality and saving the Internet because I’ve worked in developing countries where the government can block, censor or slow down access to specific online content for religious, political or special interests, and that is not the direction I want America to go,” said Ahmed, whose videos about global poverty are among the most viewed on YouTube.

“Our voices, our ideas, our videos, our writings and all of our other online creations are yet another natural resource best not left in corporate hands,” said Johnson, the author who was also named Mashable’s "Most Interesting Twitter User to Follow.”

“A new wave of Internet celebrities is using the Internet like never before,” said Josh Levy, online campaign manager of Free Press, which coordinates SavetheInternet.com. “Authors connect to readers; musicians connect to listeners; and documentarians use the Web as a platform for projects ranging from social justice to sports. The participants in this video are naturally passionate about Net Neutrality, because they all relied on the open Internet to become who they are today.”

Watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grVeOqsm2D0

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