Editing Net neutrality (section)

===Digital rights and freedoms===
{{See also|Digital rights}}
Proponents of net neutrality argue that a neutral net will foster free speech and lead to further democratic participation on the Internet. Former [[Senator Al Franken]] from Minnesota fears that without new regulations, the major Internet Service Providers will use their position of power to stifle people's rights. He calls net neutrality the "[[First Amendment]] issue of our time."<ref>Hattem, Julian, ''[https://thehill.com/policy/technology/211607-franken-net-neutrality-is-first-amendment-issue-of-our-time/ Franken: Net neutrality is 'First Amendment issue of our time'] '', The Hill, Jul '14</ref> The past two decades has been an ongoing battle of ensuring that all people and websites have equal access to an unrestricted platform, regardless of their ability to pay, proponents of net neutrality wish to prevent the need to pay for speech and the further centralization of media power.<ref>Nunziato DC. ''Virtual Freedom : Net Neutrality and Free Speech in the Internet Age''. Stanford, Calif: Stanford Law Books; 2009. {{EBSCOhost|395792}}. Accessed 1 April 2019.</ref> [[Lawrence Lessig]] and [[Robert W. McChesney]] argue that net neutrality ensures that the Internet remains a free and open technology, fostering democratic communication. Lessig and McChesney go on to argue that the monopolization of the Internet would stifle the diversity of independent news sources and the generation of innovative and novel web content.<ref name="no-tolls" />