Al Franken: Net Neutrality is the First Amendment Issue Of Our Time

Sen. Al Franken has been quick to use time in the Senate to define himself as an outspoken advocate of independent programming and media. During Elena Kagan’s confirmation hearings he used his time to ask her for her thoughts on major media mergers such as the proposed one between Comcast and NBC Universal [Franken is not a fan].

This past Saturday Franken used his closing spot at the Netroots Nation conference to advocate for Net Neutrality. In his rousing remarks Franken told that crowd that Net Neutrality was “the First Amendment issue of our time.”

If no one stops them how long do you think it will take before four or five mega corporations effectively control the flow of information in America not only on television but online…how long do you think it will take before the Fox News website loads five times faster than Daily Kos.

The value of the Internet, says Franken, “is that it is open to everyone” and if you want to protect it you are going to have to force the government to hear your thoughts over those of the corporations.

>>>See the video at Mediaite.

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Glynnis MacNicol