Prophets of Rage guitarist Tom Morello, Incubus, Against Me!, Anti-Flag and STS9 are just some of the musical artists who have added their name to a letter to Congress in support of net neutrality, which the FCC plans to vote to end next week (Dec. 14).

The letter, via the non-profit organization Fight for the Future which can be read in its entirety below, is also signed by the musicians Michael Stipe, Colin Hay, Graham Nash, Amanda Palmer and Atmosphere. They join actors like Evangeline Lilly, Wil Wheaton, Alfre Woodard and Alyssa Milano and other signees in voicing their support of continued net neutrality.

"The open Internet lets artists reach each other and audiences across the world in unprecedented ways," the letter reads in part. "We are able to collaborate, learn, improve our worlds, participate in our society, and bring the things we love to people who are moved by them. Freedom of speech and freedom of expression are guaranteed by our constitution, and we demand that such freedoms continue online. Net Neutrality is essential to our democracy."

Without net neutrality in place, Internet service providers like Comcast and Verizon would be able to determine which websites and applications users could access by blocking them and speeding up or slowing the connection speed at will.

Fight for the Future was founded in 2011 and has a mission to ensure that the web continues to hold freedom of expression and creativity at its core. They seek to expand the Internet's transformative power for good, to preserve and enhance its capacity to enrich and empower. They also envision a world where everyone can access the internet affordably, free of interference or censorship and with full privacy.

December, 2017

To: U.S. Congress:

The medium that allows us to be great artists is under threat. Without a free and open internet, so much music, writing, film, art, culture, passion, and creativity would be lost.

For the artists of the future, and the culture of the future, we will not be silent.

Title II guarantees net neutrality and prevents powerful telecom giants like AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon from deciding what art, as well as what news, is easily accessible online.

If the FCC votes to gut these protections it will explicitly allow Internet providers to charge extra fees that amount to a tax on the entire creative economy. A few corporations will have control over what you see and hear, while independent and up-and-coming artists’ ability to make a living will be devastated.

Without net neutrality there will be less awesome art.

Period.

The open Internet lets artists reach each other and audiences across the world in unprecedented ways. We are able to collaborate, learn, improve our worlds, participate in our society, and bring the things we love to people who are moved by them.

Freedom of speech and freedom of expression are guaranteed by our constitution, and we demand that such freedoms continue online. Net Neutrality is essential to our democracy.

We support the people from across the political spectrum protesting across the country on December 7, and we echo their call for our members of Congress to do their jobs and take action to stop the FCC vote that’s planned for December 14.

By fighting for net neutrality, you fight for the future of art.

To see the full list of those who signed the letter in support of net neutrality, click here.

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