Although the prospect of retaining net neutrality protections in the United States is a timely concern for students, faculty and staff of the University of Arkansas, this moment also presents a broader opportunity to discuss how the Internet facilitates 21st century communication and information seeking. Attendees of this event will leave with an understanding that the Internet and in particular, the World Wide Web, are not merely means of consumption, but are also infrastructure that facilitate creativity, innovation, scholarship, and education.
The panel discussion, scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, in Gearhart Hall Auditorium, is an opportunity to gather and discuss the issues at stake in net neutrality rule-making and legislation. A Q&A panel format with campus voices from University Libraries, Information Technology Services, and the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences will invite discussion of technical questions, but also consider how Internet governance influences democratic citizenship.
Statements from the American Library Association and the Association of Research Librarieson the Federal Communications Commission’s draft order to eliminate Title II net neutrality protections will serve as starting points for discussion.