Andreessen: AOL-Netscape has a political role

Andreessen, who recently signed on as AOL's chief technology officer, said the Internet service is a "profoundly important" part of the high-tech industry with a part to play in the "dialogue" on tech policy issues ranging from encryption to global e-commerce. Andreessen was speaking Tuesday morning, after hosting a breakfast at the Netscape Briefing Center for the New Democrat Network, a political action arm of the New Democrat movement, and TechNet, a high-tech lobby group.