Internet Association Releases National Internet 2016 Election Policy Platform

Beckerman: “Our policy platform is drafted as a go-to blueprint for candidates and their campaigns, regardless of party affiliation…support for the continued growth of the internet is good for America and cuts across party lines.”

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Internet Association released its 2016 Election Policy Platform, offering candidates an in-depth breakdown of the policies needed to create a regulatory environment that fosters and promotes innovation and growth across the internet ecosystem. The platform highlights the internet’s importance to the U.S. economy, including 6 percent of GDP in 2014 and nearly 3 million jobs.

“Our policy platform is drafted as a go-to blueprint for candidates and their campaigns, regardless of party affiliation,” said Michael Beckerman, President and CEO of the Internet Association. “While candidates may disagree on any number of issues, support for the continued growth of the internet is good for America and cuts across party lines. Our goal is to give candidates from all parties, regions, and levels of government the tools and information they need to advocate on behalf of their constituents who benefit from a free, open, and growing internet.”

The platform addresses nine specific issue areas, from copyright to trade, and focuses on ways to maintain a free and open internet, safeguard user information, and foster economic growth.

Platform highlights include:

• From its inception, the internet was built on an open architecture that lowers barriers to entry, fosters innovation, and empowers user choice. The internet should be free from censorship. It should be protected by simple and enforceable rules that ensure consumers’ unfettered access to the content they want, without holding internet platforms liable for user behavior online.
• The internet industry is deeply committed to providing innovative products and services while maintaining user privacy and safety online. From standardizing data security and breach notification, to protecting encryption standards across digital technologies, candidates must recognize the importance of ensuring the internet remains a place where people can share their information and ideas without fear of it falling into the wrong hands.
• Approximately 8 trillion dollars are exchanged through e-commerce each year, and the internet accounted for 21 percent of GDP growth in advanced economies over the past five years. It is critical to support continued growth of the internet as a global medium for innovation.

To read the full platform, click here.

###