[h2o-discuss] the dot.com coalition

[John Wilbanks <wilbanks@cyber.law.harvard.edu>]

Heavyweights Join Forces To
                  Shape Internet
                  (07/12/99, 6:42 a.m. ET)
                  By Reuters 

                  Nine of the world's leading Internet
                  companies have joined forces to form a
                  coalition to make their powerfulvoices heard
                  in directing the future of the World Wide
                  Web. 

                  America's top dot-com companies said in a statement
                  issued on Monday that NetCoalition.com would speak
                  out for the interests of the Internet industry and
seek to
                  influence government policymakers. 

                  "In founding NetCoalition.com, these leading
                  entrepreneurs are responding to members of Congress
                  who tell us they need innovative online approaches to
                  the unique challenges facing the Internet," said
Daniel
                  Ebert who will be coordinating the coalition's
                  Washington operations. 

                  The Coalition includes Internet heavyweights America
                  Online, Yahoo, and Amazon.com, as well as
                  DoubleClick, eBay, Excite@Home, Inktomi, Lycos,
                  and theglobe.com. 

                  Ninety percent of the world's Internet users visit one
or
                  more of the members' sites every month, the group
said.

                  The group said in their statement that they will speak
                  out on critical issues impacting the future of the
Internet,
                  advocating market-driven policies to empower users. 

                  "The founding companies have established
                  NetCoalition.com to expand user trust in the Internet,
                  as well as to speak with a clear, distinct voice for
the
                  concerns and interest of the industry," the statement
                  said. 

                  David C. Peterschmidt, chairman of software developer
                  Inktomi, said: "With the Internet, we are on the cusp
of
                  driving new economies and new ways of doing
                  business. We intend to engage in dialogue with
                  policymakers to address the tough issues facing our
                  industry, with the intention of making the Internet a
                  critical part of our lives." 


John Wilbanks
Assistant Director
Berkman Center for Internet and Society
wilbanks@law.harvard.edu
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu