Search News: SearchViews Announces Support For Google’s Free the Airwaves Campaign and Petition
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Written By Noah Mallin | August 18, 2008 | Share This
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We are joining with Google, Microsoft, Intel, Dell, HP, Philips Electronics and many other companies in calling on the FCC to rule that the spectrum which television broadcasters will be relinquishing in 2009 be used for universal wireless broadband online access. Our belief is that this is key to online innovation, competitiveness, and the continued growth of new technology in the United States.
We acknowledge that as search marketers we stand to gain from increased Internet usage and penetration but this is a case where society gains as well. We believe in the Internet as a great leveler where an individual has the ability to be heard loud and clear on the same level as the mightiest corporation or government entity. Opening up access to people who have been underserved is adding more voices to the great marketplace of ideas and goods. It’s a plus for knowledge, for commerce, and even for democracy.
We do not favor the recent suggestion by FCC Commissioner Martin that an opening of this spectrum should include restrictions on “obscene” material. The historical difficulty in defining such standards is tantamount to placing arbitrary regulation on something that should be free in every sense of the word (though obviously illegal activity online is an abuse of this freedom.) Adults should be allowed to use this Internet spectrum adhering to the same standards of conduct already commonly accepted for the rest of the web.
That being said we support Google’s initiative as explained in the petition they have asked folks to sign. Here’s the full text:
To the members of the Federal Communications Commission:
I’m writing to urge you to open up currently unused parts of the TV spectrum (the “white spaces”) for wireless broadband and other emerging technologies. I applaud the extraordinary steps the Commission has taken to realize the potential of TV white spaces to date, and encourage you to take this next step today.
The potential benefits of freeing up this important public resource, more than three-quarters of which today is unused, are overwhelming.
The white spaces can:
* Pave the way for universal wireless broadband access;
* Extend broadband wireless to rural areas that currently aren’t connected at all;
* Enhance the reliability of public safety communications;
* Enable distance learning for students in remote locations or for whom traditional classroom-based learning is impractical; and,
* Bring high-speed mobile internet access to every high school and middle school in the country.
Opening up unused TV spectrum might be one of our best remaining chances to address the digital divide by creating affordable and truly universal broadband wireless coverage in the U.S.. I urge you to take this rare opportunity to connect millions more people to the Internet.
Here’s Google Product Developer Minnie Ingersoll to tell us what the so-called “white space” spectrum is and why it should be free:
We urge you to sign this petition: Let the FCC know that the white space spectrum shouldn’t be sold to the highest bidder, nor should it be where poltergeists hang out. It should be for free broadband Internet access for everyone.
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