Thread by @digiphile

Has there been a @WhiteHouse statement on what an open, decentralized Web & Internet mean to democracies?

Or on shutdowns, whether in India or Afghanistan? axios.com/newsletters/ax…

Or risks centralization, authoritarianism, & nationalism pose?
axios.com/internet-freed…
#KeepItOn

@WhiteHouse Tweets by @POTUS about the Internet are about adding access in the USA, not policy: twitter.com/search?q=from%…
Ditto @WhiteHouse: twitter.com/search?q=from%… & spoken statements by President Biden: factba.se/biden/search#i…
Contrast to 2011:
obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2011/07/0…
Policy/messaging void

@WhiteHouse @POTUS A notable exception came in July, when @POTUS @JoeBiden criticized Internet shutdowns & said the USA was exploring providing access to Cubans to bypass censorship: factba.se/biden/transcri… Do you know if the USA every did so, @PressSec @StateDeptSpox?
cc @SenRubioPress @RepTenney

@WhiteHouse @POTUS @JoeBiden @PressSec @StateDeptSpox @SenRubioPress @RepTenney In July, this @POTUS "called on" the @FCC to "increase competition & lower prices," but hasn't nominated a 5th commissioner or named a permanent chair who'd do so

https://twitter.com/digiphile/status/1437886432597712901

It's now been 243 days.
How long must Americans wait for a quorum & action on #NetNeutrality?

@WhiteHouse @POTUS @JoeBiden @PressSec @StateDeptSpox @SenRubioPress @RepTenney @FCC The relative silence on Internet policy & shutdowns from the Biden administration is an abdication of global leadership at a time when it matters.
@WHOSTP should support an open, decentralized Internet & WWW, like @WHOSTP44 did, pushing interoperability, standards, & open access.

@WhiteHouse @POTUS @JoeBiden @PressSec @StateDeptSpox @SenRubioPress @RepTenney @FCC @WHOSTP @WHOSTP44 This @WhiteHouse needs a clear, policy vision for the Internet & tech responsive to the past decade of authoritarian repression, censorship, surveillance, & centralization & control by corporate giants.

Try competition, innovation, open standards, decentralization, human rights.

This @WhiteHouse is convening a Democracy Summit & participating in @OpenGovPart’s summit. (Unclear who leads OGP delegation.)
These events should include an affirmative policy agenda for the Internet (#KeepitOn with strong #NetNeutrality rules & laws) & civic tech for democracy.

Instead of convening another “roundtable” with irresponsible tech executives who put profits before patriotism & health in a pandemic, @potus @vp should invite @vgcerf @timberners_lee & civil society leaders to inform a national strategy to build the Web & Internet back better.