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AP Interview: Franken Urges Revamp Of Net Rules

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Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) (credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota criticized a draft set of Internet traffic rules Friday, portraying the Federal Communications Commission proposal as a threat to unfettered access to online applications and content.

The “net neutrality” proposal is designed to prevent broadband providers from blocking or discriminating against Internet traffic flowing over their networks.

But the Democrat told The Associated Press that the proposed rules are too loose and could turn mobile Internet services into the “wild west,” allowing providers to discriminate against rival content. He said the draft rules would also let broadband providers give their own online traffic or other favored traffic priority over other online services. Franken urged the FCC to overhaul the proposal.

Since he took office in July 2009, Franken has pushed to force network providers to allow open access to legal content, without favoring one service over another. He opposed the merger of Comcast Corp. and NBC Universal TV, saying their combination is the beginning of a consolidation of Internet service providers that will lead to more corporate control of online content.

“Ultimately I see a world where we have four or five companies controlling everything, with all their interests aligned and their interests will not be net neutrality,” Franken said.

He added: “I fear for the flow of information in this country.”

In his letter to the FCC, Franken said the current proposal hypothetically could allow a provider such as Verizon to suddenly block Netflix streaming video on iPads because it offers its own video service, V CAST.

Franken said the proposed FCC rules don’t go far enough, and Congress ultimately may have to step in.

“I really do think there’s going to have to be net neutrality legislation,” he said.

But Franken acknowledged it could be tough to get that passed after Republicans take over the House next month. Republicans are strongly opposed to the net neutrality proposal, which they see as an attempt to regulate the Internet.

The plan was drafted by FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, one of three Democrats on the five-member commission.

Large phone and cable companies including AT&T and Comcast are lending tepid support to the proposal, which is set for a vote on Dec. 21.

(© Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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  • mark from mntaxwaste.com

    For the very first time I agree with the guy who stole his election. The internet has to be neutral. There is to much regulation already, WCCO removes post that are not to their liking as well as the Trib. We can’t stop that, but there are other places we must.

  • Jon

    “Sen. Al Franken says proposed Internet traffic rules due for a vote later this month could harm the free flow of information.”

    No thanks.

  • merks

    this is nothing more then an attempt to highjack free speech by the left to shut up the likes of fox news, rush, glenn beck and hannity.
    Free speech is the cornerstone of our society and to let any one party who disagress with what is being said and any attempt to shut down such conversation is a disgrace and the beginning of the end of the United States.

  • David oelkers

    Why not tax it to help education and the poor.

  • Reagan

    Way to go Minnesota, vote a damn clown into the senate and see what you get?!? HA! HA!

  • Ignorance must be bliss

    Give it up already about stealing elections and cheating for votes. Any time a Dem or Indi wins all you GOPers cry like little kids that it was stole or cheated. I got 1 word for you if you want to talk about cheating an election…. BUSH

  • Eric N.

    What a FOOL!! And a dumb ass.

  • Dan

    Net neutrality is code word for leftist control of the internet. Down with coke head Franken. He’s a comedian and Klobuchar is a joke. Kick out Obama in 2012.

  • Mini_Apple

    .Just aonther lame attempt by the “psycho” secular progressives to run their own campaign against free speech!

  • Minnesota

    I didn’t vote for Obama and i’m damn proud of it! let’s set things straight in 2012!!! He’s the worst president ever !!!!!!!!

  • Fascism

    WCCO is filtering comments on news stories, someone removed my post right after someone told me I don’t know what the definition of fascism is.

  • Kevin

    Is it just me….or does everyone get a shiver up their thigh when they see Big Al????

  • MUNDO

    Funny how this guy talks about everything but how he’ll vote on extending the Obama (not Bushes this time) tax cuts.Sen.Klobachars doing the same dodge.

  • Sam

    How is keeping companies like Comcast and Qwest from limiting access to information an attempt to hijack free speech? This isn’t about Fox. It’s not about the talking head fat-cats.
    It’s about not letting my internet company say “I know you want to access this video, and I know you’re paying for 10Mb/s, but since this is being distributed by our competitor, we’re dropping you to 1Mb/s.”

  • Sam

    I know. It _has_ been a rough eight years, but Pawlenty is almost out of office.

  • Helper

    A DAY IN THE LIFE OF GLENN BECK

    GLENN BECK gets up at 6:00am to prepare his morning coffee. He fills his pot full of good clean drinking water because some liberal fought for minimum water quality standards.

    He takes his daily medication with his first swallow of coffee. His medications are safe to take because some liberal fought to insure their safety and work as advertised.

    All but $10.00 of his medications are paid for by his employers medical plan because some liberal UNION workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance, now GLENN BECK gets it too.
    He prepares his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs this day. GLENN BECK’s bacon is safe to eat because some liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry.

    GLENN BECK takes his morning shower reaching for his shampoo; His bottle is properly labeled with every ingredient and the amount of its contents because some liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and how much it contained.
    GLENN BECK dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some tree-hugging liberal fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our air.

    He walks to the subway station for his government subsidized ride to work; it saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees. You see, some liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor.

    GLENN BECK begins his work day; he has a good job with excellent pay, medicals benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some liberal UNION members FOUGHT AND DIED for these working standards.
    GLENN BECK’s employer pays these standards because GLENN BECK’s employer doesn’t want his employees to call “the union”.

    If GLENN BECK is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed he’ll get a worker compensation or unemployment check because some liberal didn’t think he should lose his home because of his temporary misfortune.

    It’s noon time, GLENN BECK needs to make a Bank Deposit so he can pay some bills.
    GLENN BECK’s deposit is federally insured by the FSLIC and FDIC because some liberal wanted to protect GLENN BECK’s money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the 1929 economic depression.

    GLENN BECK has to pay his Fannie Mae underwritten Mortgage and his below market federal student loan because some stupid liberal decided that GLENN BECK and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his lifetime.

    GLENN BECK is home from work, he plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive to dad’s; his car is among the safest in the world because some liberal fought for car safety standards.

    He arrives at his boyhood home. He was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers Home Administration because bankers didn’t want to make rural loans. The house didn’t have electric until some big government liberal stuck his nose where it didn’t belong and demanded rural electrification. (Those rural Republicans would still be sitting in the dark).

    He is happy to see his dad who is now retired. His dad lives on Social Security and his UNION pension because some liberal made sure he could take care of himself so GLENN BECK wouldn’t have to. After his visit with dad he gets back in his car for the ride home.

    He turns on a radio talk show, the host keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good (He doesn’t tell GLENN BECK that his beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit GLENN BECK enjoys throughout his day).

    GLENN BECK agrees, “We don’t need those big government liberals ruining our lives; after all, I’m a self-made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have.”

  • Jeffery Danielson

    Here we go. Franken is going to try to regulate free seech, and Dayton’s going to the Presidents Christmas Party. He’s also looking for money we don’t need.

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