FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 12, 2017
CONTACT Clarissa Corona 213.718.0732 communications@nhmc.org
Latinos Defend Open Internet Protections on Net Neutrality Day of Action
mitú joins the National Hispanic Media Coalition in galvanizing the Latino community to participate in today’s Internet-Wide Day of Action. The action aims to save net neutrality from the Federal Communication Commission’s plan to slash the legal foundation for the rules that protect online freedom of expression. Nearly 70,000 people, sites, and organizations have signed on to the effort overall, including Twitter, Reddit, Netflix, Amazon, Facebook, Google, Kickstarter, Etsy, Vimeo, Mozilla, and Medium. Participants will display prominent messages on their homepages on July 12 and encourage users to take action in other ways, using push notifications, videos, social media, and emails. More on the day of action here: https://battleforthenet.com/july12 “The open Internet is a place for authentic storytelling by Latinos and communities of color, whose voices have been misrepresented or underrepresented by traditional media,” said Carmen Scurato, director of policy and legal affairs for the National Hispanic Media Coalition. “Strong net neutrality rules, that prevent corporate gatekeepers from standing in the way of how we access and use the internet, ensure that historically underserved communities will be heard online. The internet is more important than ever for the Latino community as we work to fight misperceptions, combat hate, organize, and stay connected. We urge Latinos to get involved to ensure that all of our entrepreneurs, organizers, and community members, continue to be at the same advantage as everyone else in accessing the tools that will help us thrive.” “In less than three years, multicultural youth will be the majority of youth in the US, with the largest percentage of the demographic being Latino. To deny them equal access to the internet is to deny them economic and cultural opportunities in a space where their faces and voices are already severely underrepresented. This isn’t just about the internet; this is about the empowerment of an entire generation of people that represents the future of this country,” said Roy Burstin, co-founder and CEO of mitú. NHMC has submitted a Motion for Extension of Time in the net neutrality proceeding due to a lack of response for several Freedom of Information Act requests submitted to the FCC in early May 2017. The requests ask the FCC to disclose all Open Internet consumer complaints submitted since the 2015 Open Internet Order went into effect, and for documents related to the Open Internet ombudsperson’s interactions with internet users. The information that NHMC urges the FCC to release would provide critical insight into the value of maintaining net neutrality under the existing Open Internet Order. See examples of what sites are doing on July 12 here: https://www.battleforthenet.com/july12#join Embed a video about the day of action here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIFBb3e3tFA&feature=youtu.be See graphics usable by press here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B7iKho2OIeVzREZWSkRaenZwMFk For interviews, please contact Jareyah Bradley at jareyah@balestramedia.com or 908.242.4822.###
The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) is a media advocacy and civil rights organization for the advancement of Latinos, working towards a media that is fair and inclusive of Latinos, and towards universal, affordable, and open access to communications. Receive real-time updates on Facebook, Twitter @NHMC and Instagram @NHMC_org.
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