On Thursday, April 18, UCC Media Justice filed a letter at the Federal Communications Commission supporting net neutrality with ten other faith communities. You can read the full text of the letter below:
Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel
Federal Communications Commission
50 L Street, NE
Washington, DC 20554
April 18, 2024
Re: Safeguarding and Securing the Open Internet, WC Docket No. 23-320
Dear Chairwoman Rosenworcel:
We, the undersigned leaders in our faith traditions, write to describe the fundamental importance of communications rights in our society, and thus our strong support for U.S. policies that establish net neutrality protections and rules that will safeguard civil and human rights and the freedom to receive information and to share it. The undersigned organizations support the proposed treatment of broadband internet access service and strong net neutrality protections. We urge the Commission to follow the advice of net neutrality proponents and experts and adopt the strongest possible protections that permit neither privileging nor slowing down content, and to retain maximum flexibility to fund low-income programs in the future. [1]
Going back to 2010, the faith community has come together in various groupings to support net neutrality protections. In 2010, the National Council of Churches adopted a resolution that supported protections, including reclassification of broadband services as a telecommunications service, found the following to be true:
- The people of our communities of faith rely heavily on the Internet as a means to communicate, share experiences, and build community;
- Many of our faith communities, which also are nonprofit organizations with relatively small budgets, rely on the Internet as a public platform for free speech, equal opportunity, outreach to their members, and ministry and social service to local communities in need,
- Faith communities have experienced uneven access to and coverage by the mainstream media, and wish to keep open the opportunity to create their own material describing their faith and traditions.
- Faith communicators see every day the vital connection between a free and fair communications system and the achievement of important social justice goals;
- If vital net neutrality protections are not assured by the FCC, large for-profit companies providing internet services may have a commercial incentive to favor their own content over others and as a result could limit the activity and equal access of members of faith communities and other non-commercial organizations online… [2]
In 2015, the Faithful Internet coalition joined together with statements from faith and humanist leaders from many denominations, including evangelical Christians, Muslims, Jews. Rev. Dr. William Barber, II added his voice. [3]
In 2017, when net neutrality protections were threatened, faith communities came together again, stating:
“Communication is one of God’s great gifts to humanity. Without communication, we could not be fully human. Without communication, we would have lost many invaluable elements of culture and art that uplift us to this day, we would not be able to share the great teachings of the world’s religions, we would not be able to develop governments and societies to look after each other and our natural resources.” [4]
Faith leaders, like the former leader of NETWORK, Sister Simone Campbell, have said:
“My Christian faith teaches that we are to go to the edges of our society and hear the stories of those who are left out of our economy and outside our care. Once we have heard the stories, we are required to share them far and wide. Only through an open and free Internet can we even begin to do this work. Net neutrality is the way we keep the twenty-first century commons open to all engaged in the democratic process. It is the key way that ‘We the People’ can do the hard work of democracy. Protect it!” [5]
The United Church of Christ recently adopted a resolution in support of digital inclusion, “Along with building community and fostering social cohesion, digital inclusion is increasingly necessary for participation in the global economy, for education and expansion of opportunity, for accessing health care and housing and faith communities. The impact of exclusion is detrimental to individuals, to families, and to whole communities–and it is a harm not borne evenly across society.”6
Bishop Coyne, then the U.S. Catholic Conference Chair of the Committee on Communications, stated in 2017:
“Strong net neutrality protections are critical to the faith community to function and connect with our members, essential to protect and enhance the ability of vulnerable communities to use advanced technology, and necessary for any organization that seeks to organize, advocate for justice or bear witness in the crowded and over-commercialized media environment. … Without open internet principles which prohibit paid prioritization, we might be forced to pay fees to ensure that our high-bandwidth content receives fair treatment on the internet. Non-profit communities, both religious and secular, cannot afford to pay to compete with profitable commercialized content.” [7]
Valarie Kaur, a visionary Sikh leader, described the importance of an open internet in her powerful video, First We Pray, Then We Organize. Many movements for justice “would not be possible without the open Internet–the prophetic platform of the twenty-first century, a place where we can hear untold stories, build movements, and create a world where love wins.” As the video explains, we cannot let big carriers “charge websites extra fees to reach people faster.” [8]
As religious leaders, we know that open and accountable communication tools are essential to achieving broader human rights goals. Communications rights have been recognized and established by the world community. In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 19 states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” [9] In August 2022, at the convening of the 11th General Assembly of the World 94 Council of Churches, Acting General Secretary Rev. Prof. Dr. Ioan Sauca named the capacity of digital and online communications to strengthen community and collaboration, cautioned against the potential for exclusion, and voiced “the need to uphold a vision of digital justice.” [10]
Modern communications are essential for our home faith institutions, to share scripture, help neighbors, support each other, and raise funds to support our work. Since the pandemic, virtual worship has been critical for congregations across faiths, particularly for people who cannot attend in person.
Communication at its finest empowers self-determination and civil and human rights by helping individuals and communities hold those in power accountable, and facilitating the joint action and advocacy that is so essential if we are to make change in our civil society. Without communication that is accountable to the people who use it, we could have lost many invaluable elements of culture and art that uplift us to this day, we would not be able to share the great teachings of the world’s religions and philosophies.
We praise the FCC for its work to reestablish net neutrality and open internet protections. We urge the FCC to improve upon its proposal to align with the greatest protections for content and voices most marginalized in society and to avoid any proposals that would privilege some voices over others. The faith community has also been stalwart in its support for programs, like the Affordable Connectivity Program, that supports low-income access to broadband internet. We support the Commission’s proposed order with modest changes to ensure these fundamental needs are served.
Sincerely,
Alliance of Baptists
Church World Service
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
Disciples Center for Public Witness
Franciscan Action Network
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Council of Churches
The Episcopal Church
Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice
United Church of Christ Media Justice Ministry and United Church of Christ